The Kingdom of Japanifornia
by Muhammad Sban
Summary: Long ago, on an island currently lost to us, a kingdom known as Japanifornia dwelled. Phoenix Wright, a brand new knight, is thrust into a large problem. Can Phoenix Wright and his comrades protect this kingdom from a force whose existence threatens the very foundation of their kingdom? I hope you all enjoy! (Currently working on the JFA arc.)
1. Prologue

A long time ago, a large island existed, without our knowledge. It was divided into several diverse kingdoms. The Kingdom of Japanifornia, as well as it's sister Kingdom, the Kingdom of Khura'in. Throughout these islands, an unkown magic loomed over all of them. It was omnipresent in life and death. Only a select few could tap into this magic. They came to be known as **witches**.

At one point in time, witches were revered, yet, a select few hated it. That was until an incident several years prior, ended this era of respect in witches, and ushered in a new one of hatred and anger. Hate crimes were constantly perpetrated against witches. As of late, there has been an influx in magical crime in the kingdom. The Knights of Japanifornia have been on the hunt.

The Knights of Japanifornia are a group whose purpose is to fiercely defend and protect the law of Japanifornia. They are the protectors of the nation. Several hundred years prior, a split in the knights was enacted. Now, they reside as two seperate bodies. The Attornial Knights of Japanifornia, and the Prosecutorial Knights of Japanifornia. A rivalry is everpresent between the two. Indeed, it has truly become a war of fame and glory.

A new generation of knights are currently in training. Phoenix Wright, a particular young knight, is being trained under Mia Fey. After a case known as **the Hawthorne Case,** Phoenix was motivated by Mia Fey to train. Now, he excels in his training.

The King or Queen of Japanifornia creates the law. Whenever a king or queen wished to retire, several knights from the Prosecutorial Knights are selected. The King or Queen tests them and makes a decision. Under the current queen, Lana Skye's rule, the Kingdom has met a prosperity. Long Live Queen Lana Skye!


	2. Chapter 1: The Land of Japanifornia

**A/N: Hello everyone! This chapter took a while to write because of the different stories I had in mind. The outlining process has been very hard, so I apologize for the delay. Without further ado, I present to you the Kingdom of Japanifornia Chapter One Version 2!**

* * *

A man and a woman stood in the courtyard. These two were Phoenix Wright and Mia Fey. They were knights, of very different status. Phoenix was a rookie knight. Mia was a master swordsman and could take on practically any knight in both sword and hand to hand combat. And Phoenix Wright was training under her.

"So Chief, why have we come to this courtyard."

"Wright, I've told you this countless times",said Mia,"Just call me Mia."

"Ok",said Phoenix. Mia sighed. He was still so naive, after all those years. A woman walked up to the two. Mia immediately kneeled down, followed closely by Phoenix.

"Rise Mia Fey",spoke the voice of the queen.

"Thank you, Your Majesty Queen Lana Skye",said Mia.

"I don't think the one time ace of the Hawthorne case should bow down before me",said Lana,"Besides, you don't need to act like we're total strangers."

"I agree with you",said Mia. The two entered a hug.

"Wait, you know the queen?",said Phoenix.

"When we were both still training to become knights, we spent hours training together",said Lana, smiling,"A shame we ended up in seperate branches though."

"Very much so",said Mia.

"Anyways, I have important duties I must attend to",said Lana,"Farewell, Mia Fey."

"Wright",said Mia,"Think fast!" She quickly whipped out her sword and attempted to strike Phoenix. With the reflexes that made him a leader's apprentice, he dodged the blade and whipped out his own sword. She attempted to strike again, and her sword was parried again.

"Nice try",said Phoenix smirked.

"You're definitely improving, Wright",said Mia. She sheathed her sword and Phoenix mirrored her perfectly.

"How about we get some grub",said Phoenix.

"On me",said Mia.

* * *

A man sat down in a chair. He was wearing a red jacket above a black suit of armor. He was beginning to take off the armor. A white cravat poked out from his neck. After he had removed all his armor and placed on his jacket, another man clad in armor and a green jacket entered the room.

"Sir Edgeworth!" Edgeworth sighed.

"Yes, what is it Gumshoe",said Edgeworth.

"Isn't today the day you wanted to go into the courtyard and prove your sword skills to the world!",exclaimed Gumshoe.

"Indeed",said Edgeworth, wagging his finger,"Any foolish person who has the gall to challenge me will fall to my might!"

"Hmph!",said a man, walking in,"That's just like you, Edgeworth."

"S-sir",said Edgeworth, addressing his mentor.

"Crush all who wish to try and defeat a von Karma!",exclaimed Manfred von Karma.

"Thank you, sir",said Edgeworth. Manfred walked out of the room.

"Now, let us depart to find a knight in the courtyard",said Edgeworth.

-Objection!-

"Miles Edgeworth!",exclaimed a young woman,"Before you go about trying to find someone else to fight, I wish to challenge you to a duel!" Edgeworth sighed once again.

"Franziska",said Edgeworth,"Didn't you try to duel me yesterday? Remember what happened then?"

"Hmph! That was different!",said Franziska,"I already explained to you my reasoning for why I was worse for wear yesterday!"

"Fine",said Edgeworth,"Now let us go to the courtyard to cross swords."

* * *

The two young knights readied their position. Franziska held her sword and wore a black set of armor. Edgeworth readied to attack. Franziska came charging at him. With lightning fast reflexes, he parried each of the swings that came at him. Frustrated, Franziska backed off. She pulled out something off of her belt and proceeded to swing it at Edgeworth's neck, where his skin was visible.

Franziska's whip left a red mark on his neck. Edgeworth came at her swinging with fury. She parried his blows, smirking. Both were very strategic fighters. Trained to be knights with a cold passion. The two swung their swords continuously at each other. Suddenly a deep voice bellowed…

"ENOUGH"

"Edgeworth! Franziska!",exclaimed Manfred,"Why on earth are you two sparring!"

"Papa! I only wished to show Miles Edgeworth what I've learned!",exclaimed Franziska.

"Today is the day Edgeworth will battle in the courtyard",said Manfred,"Franziska, you may face off against Edgeworth another day."

"V-very well",said Franziska. She walked off. Manfred walked off as well. Edgeworth walked towards the knights who were battling in the center of the courtyard. He drew his sword and readied himself for a battle.

* * *

Phoenix Wright and Mia Fey sat down at a table. A server approached them with their dishes. He presented a slice of beef to each of them. Phoenix was surprised.

"Beef!",exclaimed Phoenix,"You know how expensive it is, right!"

"Just enjoy it, Wright",said Mia.

"Yes Nick!",exclaimed the server,"Listen to the gorgeous lady sitting next to you."

"By the gods",said Phoenix,"It can't be…"

"Nick! It's been way too long!",exclaimed Larry.

"Larry",said Phoenix, pinching the bridge of his nose,"How on earth do you manage to switch between jobs so quickly. Last I remember, you were studying under a blacksmith who lived in a village on the outskirts of town."

"Well, he banished me from his village when I accidentally melted half of his swords",said Larry.

"Wright, your friend seems to be more trouble than he's worth",said Mia.

"I agree with you there",said Phoenix.

"Anyways, I have more tables to serve! Farewell!",said Larry. He entered the kitchen.

"So Wright, how did you know that odd fellow",said Mia.

"He was a friend of mine when I was very young and still studying basic math and science",said Phoenix,"He helped me out before."

"That bumbling fool helped you out?",said Mia.

"He's a good man at heart, but he has a long way to go",said Phoenix. Suddenly, a loud crash was heard from the kitchen.

"HELP!",cried Larry.

"Die!",exclaimed a voice. Phoenix and Mia both stood up, drew their swords and ran into the kitchen. A man wearing a purple jacket stood, pointing a knife at Larry.

"Give me all your meat!",exclaimed the man,"My village is poor! Give me that meat!" Mia quickly ran forward and kicked the man. He fell down on the floor. Phoenix held his blade to his throat.

"Who are you!",said Phoenix.

"My name is Frank Sahwit!",he exclaimed,"I belong to the Sahwit clan!"

"I have never heard of you",said Phoenix.

"My people go hungry, while knights and wealthy patricians are stuffing their faces with expensive meats!",exclaimed Sahwit. Mia ran forward and restrained the man.

"Wright",said Mia,"I'm going to bring him to the dungeon. Here's some money. Pay for the food and bring it with you and we'll meet up again later in the courtyard, ok!"

"Alright!",exclaimed Phoenix, who proceeded to pay Larry and take the meals with him to the courtyard. He sat down at one of the benches and awaited Mia's return.

He stared at the courtyard and observed the battles that were going on. A red knight was sparring with several knights at a time. Three knights attacked him. He ducked and ran behind one of them, knocking him down. He slid down on the floor and knocked down the other two. He stood up and took off his helmet. It revealed the face of a very familiar man.

"E-Edgeworth!",exclaimed Phoenix. He placed the meal down and walked towards him. At the sight of the blue knight, Edgeworth recoiled in shock. Another knight took the opportunity to attack Edgeworth. Edgeworth dodged the blade and knocked him to the ground. Edgeworth put his helmet on and began to charge Phoenix Wright.

Phoenix drew his sword and parried the blow. Edgeworth launched a barrage of attacks on him, all of which Phoenix parried. Mia walked into the courtyard at that moment, sitting beside the meals that Phoenix left on the bench. She would then observe the battle between the red and blue knights.

Each swing was blocked by the other. Edgeworth attempted the same sweeping move that he tried before, only for Phoenix to jump over him. Edgeworth sprung to his feet and parried a blow by Phoenix. Mia was growing impatient. She drew her sword and almost immediately disarmed Edgeworth.

"M-Mia!',exclaimed Phoenix.

"Hmph",said Edgeworth,"You never would've won if it weren't for your mentor."

"Is that all you have to say after all these years, Edgeworth?",said Phoenix.

"Indeed",said Edgeworth, retrieving his sword and walking away.

"You know him?",said Mia.

"He's… an old friend",said Phoenix,"How about we finish our meal."

"Very well",said Mia. The two began eating.

* * *

On the outskirts of Japanifornia, a woman sat down writing a letter. This letter was addressed to her sister. This woman was Maya Fey. She was writing a letter to Mia Fey. Once she had finished, she sent a mailwoman to send the letter.

"SIIIIIIIIIIIR",exclaimed the courier,"I will take this straight to Mia Fey." With that, she ran off. Maya walked inside to be greeted by her little cousin.

"Mystic Maya!",exclaimed Pearls,"Where have you been!"

"I was just writing a letter to my sist-",said Maya.

"That traitor!",exclaimed a voice from inside,"You must burn the letter."

"Aunt Morgan, she's my sister",said Maya.

"She left the path of magic",said Morgan,"For knighthood. Hmph!"

"Don't talk bad about her!",said Maya,"She is an honorable knight who left to find what happened to our mother!"

"Hmm, I suppose so",said Morgan, walking off.

* * *

Two swords clashed together. Mia Fey was training Phoenix Wright. Phoenix was striking then parrying. Mia was doing the same. Mia had learned that as a teacher, she needed to be patient with her student.

Phoenix swept down and for the first time ever, he knocked Mia down. Mia widened her eyes, before smiling.

"You've definitely improved, Wright",said Mia.

"Thanks, chief",said Phoenix. He helped her to her feet.

"It's dinner hour, Wright",said Mia,"How about we get some grub?"

"Yes",said Phoenix, walking alongside her up the stairs. To the left of them was a large clearing. Suddenly, entities appeared there. Phoenix jumped back in shock.

"Relax, Wright",said Mia,"If you don't attack them, you're fine."

"What are they?!",exclaimed Phoenix.

"Djinn",said Mia,"Though most in the kingdom know them as Shayateen. They're only visible at dark. They can even take the form of humans." Phoenix shivered.

"Terrifying",said Phoenix, shivering.

"Let's go inside, Wright",said Mia. The two walked inside for their meal.

* * *

 **Thanks to everyone who reviewed the prologue! I'll respond here.**

 **MasaSih: Samurai will be making an appearance later on in this series.**

 **VNDBot: Thank you! I appreciate all reviews on my story.**

 **FavorFave: Thanks! I hope you enjoy what comes next!**


	3. Chapter 2: A Journey to End Tyranny

**A/N: I want to thank all those who reviewed The Prologue and Chapter One! I hope you all enjoy. I've done a lot of medieval research since then and feel that I can make this story feel realistic. But, without further ado, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Phoenix Wright and Mia Fey entered the horse stables. There, Mia's horse Charlie awaited the two. Mia carried some food and the two entered the room.

"Here Charlie",said Mia, placing the food in front of the horse, who promptly began digging in.

"Why did you name it such a strange name?",said Phoenix,"Why, I don't believe anyone or their horse in this whole Kingdom goes by that name!"

"And what's wrong with uniqueness",said Mia,"I swear, in the future, this will be a very common name!"

"Whatever you say, chief",said Phoenix.

"Say, Wright",said Mia,"There's a very large inquiry I've been doing on an individual. I believe I need to go on a journey to hunt him."

"Don't people usually send two or three knights from both sides",said Phoenix.

"This is an issue that plagues the kingdom to its core",said Mia,"To send someone from the Prosecutorial Side would put our objective at risk."

"So you want me to come with you?",said Phoenix,"Where exactly will we be going?"

"A town on the outskirts of the Kingdom",said Mia,"It's actually fairly close to where I was born."

"What is it called?"

"Bluecorp",said Mia,"Such a strange name."

"Who is this person?",said Phoenix.

"I can't say just yet",said Mia,"We'll be going at dusk. Meet here again just before dinner hour."

"How on earth are we supposed to make such a journey on an empty stomach!",said Phoenix,"I also have no horse!"

"Ride on the back of mine",said Mia,"If you make this journey with me and we are successful, I shall give you my horse!" Phoenix gaped at this.

"A-are you speaking truthfully!",exclaimed Phoenix.

"Yes!",said Mia.

"I-I'll be here on time!",exclaimed Phoenix.

"Farewell, for now, Wright",said Mia. Phoenix bowed respectfully, then walked off.

* * *

Maya Fey was reading a letter addressed to her from her sister.

 _Dear Maya,_

 _I shall be in a neighboring town known as Bluecorp in about 5 days. I may come visit you afterwards. Do not come meet me in Bluecorp. Maya, this is a very serious issue. You must not disobey this order. Stay in your house! Trust me, it's for your own benefit._

 _Love,_

 _Mia._

"Why does sis want me to stay at home?",said Maya. The young girl was perplexed. However, she decided to follow her sister's orders. At that time, Morgan walked in.

"I heard your beloved sister will be in the area",said Morgan,"Why don't you go meet her at bluecorp? I'm sure she'd be more than happy to see you!" She said all of this with a grin on her face.

"I'm not sure",said Maya.

"If you don't, you won't be able to see her",said Morgan,"After all, that filthy traitor isn't welcome here."

"F-fine",said Maya,"I'll meet her at Bluecorp."

"Very good",said Morgan.

* * *

The final hour of daylight had approached, and both of the knights were in the horse stable. The two fighters silently mounted the horse, and began to ride off. Little did they know, a red knight who had overheard their earlier conversation was waiting in the shadows to trail behind them.

Mia Fey and Phoenix Wright rode very quickly. They quickly left the town and rode away into the night.

"So, Wright",said Mia,"Allow me to fill you in on what the mission is about."

"Please Chief",said Phoenix.

"A man who lives in Bluecorp is extorting several large figures among the Kingdom",said Mia,"This mission is to take him down. The reason I couldn't take a Prosecutorial knight is because several large figures among them would be exposed in several acts. The mission is not safe for them."

"But… that's!",said Phoenix.

"Incredibly twisted",said Mia,"Which is why we need to take this man down!"

"I agree",said Phoenix.

"Now, let's focus on making the journey",said Mia. The two rode forward through the plain, into a far off land.

* * *

Phoenix Wright and Mia Fey slept in their two tents. They still had a ways to go. Before long, the two had to get up to resume their journey. The two began riding once again. Suddenly, they came across a large forest.

"Looks like we'll need to navigate through this forest",said Mia. She grabbed her sword and began slashing at the vines that blocked their path, while steering the horse around large obstacles.

"Wright! Don't just stand there! Help me!",exclaimed Mia.

"Right!",he stood up, balancing himself on the horse and began to slash at the vines in front of Mia. The two sword wielders were in a frenzy of motion. Suddenly, they made it out into the open. Phoenix sat down, and they both sighed a sigh of relief. They continued their journey. In the forest, a man was riding a horse through a very big cleared out area.

* * *

"Wright",said Mia,"Let's camp the night here."

"Right, chief!",he exclaimed, dismounting the horse. The two set up a fire, and sat around the fire.

"Wright",said Mia,"We are bound to run into more challenges. He will send someone to come after us. Our journey was made in secret, however he will most likely know."

"How?",said Phoenix.

"The youngest attornial head knight taking a vacation and taking her apprentice with her",said Mia,"That was our excuse."

"So it's certain he has knowledge of our journey?",said Phoenix.

"Yes, indeed Spikey!",exclaimed a woman from the shadows. Mia drew her sword. She threw a knife, which Mia deflected.

"Wright!",exclaimed Mia,"Draw your sword!" Mia attacked the woman. The girl dodged to the right and made herself visible. She was a woman wearing a very revealing article of clothing. Phoenix lunged at her. Phoenix was blasted back against a tree. It was a pink blast of magic that knocked him back. He gaped.

"A witch!",exclaimed Phoenix. She tried to fire at Mia, but Mia simply held her hand out and the blast was redirected at the woman. She flew back against another tree. Phoenix and Mia pointed their swords at her neck.

"I didn't know you could!",said Phoenix.

"We'll talk later",said Mia,"Who are you! Why did he send you!"

"I am April May! He sent me for two reasons!",said April,"One is to slow you down!"

"We know that!",said Mia,"Continue!"

"The other one is that you'd best be very careful",said April, smirking,"You never know what he'll do!"

"What is going on here!",boomed a loud, refined male voice. A red knight walked into the light.

"E-Edgeworth!",exclaimed Phoenix.

"Wright! Madame Fey! What on earth is going on here!",questioned Edgeworth.

"We are on a journey",said Mia,"She stopped us and attacked us. We defended ourselves and disarmed her."

"Very well",said Edgeworth, pulling out a rope,"Tie her to the tree."

"What!",exclaimed Phoenix.

"So she doesn't follow us",said Edgeworth,"On the way back, we'll take her to the dungeon."

"!"

"Let's just hurry up and continue",said Edgeworth,"I know what is at stake here, and you can only succeed with my assistance!"

"Very well",said Mia.

* * *

Maya Fey was bubbling with happiness. Her sister would be in bluecorp in 1 day! She couldn't wait to see her, so she went to the city. Before she could find a place to sleep, a man confronted her.

"Wh-who are you",said Maya. He smirked.

"You don't need to know that",said the man. Before Maya could react, the man punched her in the face. Before she could retaliate, she fell unconcious.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you everyone who read the two current chapters! Sorry about the slow updates, it's just that life's been hard and I haven't had much time. Anyways, Farewell!**


	4. Chapter 3: Overwhelming Sadness

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed the first two chapters! I hope you enjoy today's chapter! I present, The Kingdom of Japanifornia Chapter Three!**

* * *

Phoenix, Mia, and Edgeworth rode through a large clearing.

"Chief",said Phoenix.

"Yes, Wright?",said Mia.

"I've wanted to ask you",said Phoenix,"Can you explain that ability you used?"

"My bloodline is a long line of witches",said Mia,"My mother was one of the reasons they became hated."

"So that means that you are",said Phoenix.

"The original term is a Magi",said Mia,"They only started being called witches after the whole incident. Did you know that a man can possess magic."

"T-truly?!",said Phoenix.

"But most of them are women, which is why the general term became "witches", but the truth is that a man can possess magic."

"This is true",said Edgeworth, looking down,"The one time ace of the Hawthorne case should indeed understand."

"Allow me finish what I was originally saying",said Mia,"In our long line of witches, each of us had the ability to commu-."

"That will need to wait, Madame Fey",said Edgeworth,"We are nearly at the entrance to Bluecorp. We must to be stealthy, silent and most importantly vigilant."

"Indeed",said Mia. All three of the knights dismounted. They tied their horses.

"Be good, Charlie",said Mia,"I'll be back. We'll all be back." The three then ran off. They ran through a forest, and disappeared from sight.

* * *

When Maya Fey woke up, she was tied up in a dark cellar. A man wearing a pink suit of armor approached her. Maya tried to move backwards, but couldn't. He took of his helmet to reveal purple hair.

"Now we have the bait!",exclaimed the man,"Your sister will fall into our trap!" He laughed. Tears began to pour from her eyes. She never should've went to Bluecorp, and now she understood why.

"No!",she screamed.

"Hey you!",He shouted into the shadows.

"YeS wHiTe",said the woman, who approached the light.

"Your sister will be more desperate if she sees you in a ruined state",said White,"I leave her to you." The woman bowed, before unleashing dark magic into Maya's body, coursing through her body. Maya's screams and cries of agony echoed in the dark chamber. The man smiled, a disgusting smile, before disappearing.

* * *

Mia, Edgeworth, and Phoenix continued creeping stealthily through the forest. At last, they made contact with the light. In the center of the town, a floating blue orb stood.

"Wh-what is that?",said Phoenix.

"Your mentor knows better than myself",said Edgeworth.

"It feels... cold and almost dead. Like something that formerly held life, but lost its will",said Mia.

"Right now, we don't have time to marvel over such a thing",said Edgeworth,"We must finish our objective, then we can marvel over the magic."

"Very well",said Mia. The trio ran away from where they were standing and ran towards their final objective.

* * *

Maya Fey was on the floor. The woman stopped unleashing the dark energy. Maya was breathing heavily, her face wet with tears. She kept choking on her tears. The woman lifted her up and placed her on the chair.

"Right now, you look like you are dead. If your eyes weren't open, and you weren't breathing very heavily, you would be able to look dead",spoke the woman in a cold, chilling voice,"Pitiful. It didn't take long for you to weaken to where White wanted you."

"U-u-ugh",Maya cried.

"I almost want to continue for my own personal satisfaction",said the woman,"To torture such a weak thing."

"H-how can you *cough* say that",said Maya, stuttering.

"I won't, though",said the woman,"Because I fear you may die, and that is not what White wants." The woman cuts the ropes. She readies herself to attack Maya. Maya attempts to stand up, however she passes out from exhaustion.

"Pathetic",said the woman. She dragged her unconscious body out of the room.

"White!",called the woman.

"Thank you, my ethedivireal friend",said White, smiling,"This is exactly how we hold Madame Fey at bay! Splendifurous!"

* * *

The trio of knights were about to enter the palace of Bluecorp. After proceeding through the main doors, they were greeted with a gruesome scene. A man was sitting on a throne, and he was holding a knife to a girl's neck. That was Maya Fey. Phoenix retracted in shock.

"M-Maya!",cried Mia,"D-dammit White!"

"Very good, Madame Fey",said White,"You understand our situadicament, no?"

"Ugh!",cried Mia.

"Wh-who is that!",said Phoenix.

"My sister",said Mia.

"My terms are that if you leave, she lives",said White,"If you stay, she dies."

"Wright",said Mia, quietly,"I'm going to charge him. You and Edgeworth's roles are to distract him."

"Got it",The two younger knights said in unison.

"Let's go then",said Mia. The two knights began running at White. White kicked the tied up Maya to the ground, before whipping out his sword and preparing to face the two young knights. He went into a frenzy of motion. Mia ran in and attempted to grab Maya, but White nearly cut off her hands. White kicked both Wright and Edgeworth to the floor.

Mia charged White. With blows, equally as powerful, the two went at it, White parried, Mia struck, White struck, Mia parried. White tripped backwards over Maya. After he fell to the ground, Mia pulled Maya behind her and held her sword to his neck.

"It's over, White",said Mia.

"N-no!",said White. Phoenix cut the ropes and helped Maya stand up. Mia pulled out some rope and tied White's wrist, but before she could finish, White blasted her backwards.

"A-a magi!",exclaimed Mia. Mia prepared her hands. She charged. Her hands started glowing bright purple. She blasted at White with a rule purple beam. A Red, White and Blue beam came from the other side. Suddenly, a big explosion. Both Mia and White were blasted backwards into a wall.

"Madame Fey",said White,"I grow weary." Before Mia could get up, White used magic to move at an incredible speed towards Mia.

"Ngh!",she cried.

"DIE!",exclaimed White, he held an enchanted knife, and plunged it into Mia.

"Ch-chiiiiieeeeeeeef!",cried Phoenix.

"N-no! Sis!",Maya charged by her sister's body. Phoenix followed suit. They both kneeled at her side.

"Ch-chief",said Phoenix.

"Ahaha!",laughed White. Suddenly, a purple light formed over where Maya had formerly stood. Before anyone could react, Maya stood up. Her eyes were purple, and her hands were glowing red. Her voice was echoing.

"Y-you killed my sister!",she boomed, her voice echoing,"Now DIE!" A sword formed in her hand. She slammed it down at White, who only barely managed to dodge, however the impact caused a shockwave that blasted Phoenix, Edgeworth, and White all backwards.

"Wait Maya!",exclaimed Phoenix, Maya turned around and looked at Phoenix with glowing, purple eyes. Her facial features resembled that of someone who was in incredible anger. Phoenix pulled out his sword.

"What is it!",said Maya, losing her former personality.

"Let's avenge Mia together!",said Phoenix. Maya turned around and the two began to charge White. With every step each took, the ground shook. Then, Maya blasted her full energy at White. Her eyes and hands ceased glowing, however White was launched back into wall. Phoenix quickly did a spin, and struck White in the chest.

Redd White fell forward. He didn't get the chance to say any last words. His body glowed a bright white color, before it faded out of existence. Maya and Phoenix ran back to Mia. They saw their sister and mentor respectively. Mia opened her eyes for the last time ever.

"Looks like this mission was my last",said Mia,"Phoenix! Never stop the path of knighthood. Take care of Maya, please." With that, she closed her eyes for the final time.

"No! NO! NO!" MIAAAAA!",they both cried. Edgeworth stood behind them, staring to the side. Grief was plastered on his face.

"She was an honorable adversary",said Edgeworth,"Take her body. We shall return to the capital city."

* * *

The two had been riding for hours. Maya had ceased crying, and now was sitting, calmly.

"Maya",said Phoenix,"You should stay with me for awhile."

"O-ok",said Maya,"You know what! That sounds great, Nick!"

"N-nick?"

"Oh! My sister says that is your nickname!",said Maya,"Are you ok if I call you that?"

"Oh, umm sure",said Phoenix.

"Alright",said Maya,"Let's head back to the palace!"

"... I don't live in the palace Maya",said Phoenix.

"But I thought knights live in the palace?",said Maya.

"No",said Phoenix,"We live in the palace city, not the palace."

"Aww! I wanted the royal treatment!",pouted Maya.

"It's still a nice town",said Phoenix.

"Alright well, let's go there!",said Maya. The two mounted horses and made the long trek home.

"M-Maya?",said Phoenix,"If you don't mind me asking... How have you recovered so quickly?"

"I haven't",said Maya,"But I'm trying to."

"Don't worry",said Phoenix,"Stay in town for awhile."

"O-ok",said Maya.

"As my mentor's sister, my duty to her is to protect you",said Phoenix,"It was her last wish." The three returned back to the city. Now, their journey was over. They had achieved victory, but no one was rejoicing. A few days later, a funeral was held. Mia's life had come to an end. However, life went on for the young Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks to all reviewers! I hope you enjoyed today's chapter! Farewell!**

 **Cheers,**

 **Muhammad S.**


	5. Chapter 4: The Warrior Of Neo Olde Tokyo

**A/N: I really had trouble with these chapters. I didn't have many ideas to add the medieval spin to it. This was my best solution. I hope you enjoy the Steel Samurai arc!**

* * *

Phoenix Wright sat down in his quarters. Shortly afterwards, the bubbly Maya Fey came running through the door.

"Samurai slice!",she exclaimed.

"What?",said Phoenix. Maya swiped her finger and it went into Phoenix's eyes.

"Aha! Die Villain!"

"Aaagh!",cried Phoenix,"Have you been visiting the prisoners of war? You know most of them are Samurai."

"No! There's a stage show in town now that tells the tale of the Steel Samurai! Warrior of Neo Old Tokyo!"

"Sounds... interesting",said Phoenix.

"It's the best stage show you could possibly want!",exclaimed Maya.

"Someone's a fan..."

"This show has been around for two years!",exclaimed Maya,"They travel around, performing their shows to the world."

"You mean the island?",said Phoenix,"As far as we know, this is the whole world. However, we can be pretty certain there's more. I heard of a mission recently to travel past the island."

"Huh",said Maya, placing her fist on her chin,"Well anyways, we should go check out their studio. They have a tour available!"

"Let's go",said Phoenix,"I've only been to a stage show once."

"Yay!",she yelled.

(Line Break)

The two spears clashed.

"Prepare to meet your fate, Evil Magistrate!"

"No! It is you who must prepare!" The two warriors charged each other. The curtains came down and a voice boomed.

"Who won the duel!",said the voice,"Find out tomorrow!"

"Nick! Who do you think won!",exclaimed Maya. The two walked out of the theatre.

"Heh. If I be honest, I think neither did",said Phoenix,"They'll have them both escape so they can keep making money."

"What a simpleminded view!",exclaimed a voice. A man walked by them.

"?"

"We all know the Samurai will win",said Edgeworth.

"E-Edgeworth!",exclaimed Phoenix.

"Mr. Edgeworth knows what he's talking about!",exclaimed Maya.

"I never thought you'd be interested in that stuff Edgeworth",said Phoenix.

"N-nonsense!",cried Edgeworth,"I-I, um, just verily! I say, Ergo! Ugh!"

"Hm?"

"I just wished to view the media to check its quality",said Edgeworth,"It's not very often that you see a stage show."

"Yes, excellent answer!",Phoenix said, sarcastically.

"Why are you here, Wright?"

"I have to supervise Maya",said Phoenix,"Remember Mia's last wish."

"Hmph!",said Maya,"I can take care of myself!"

"I'm sure you can",said Edgeworth,"But it seems that Wright has taken a liking to you."

"Wh-what!",said Phoenix.

"This blue knight has found his "fair maiden",said Edgeworth, smirking.

"That's not what it's like, Edgeworth!",exclaimed the both of them.

"I had the, uh, privilege of reading a letter a little girl sent to me about the journey",said Edgeworth,"She said her name was Pearl Fey. She told me about that."

"Ugh",said Maya,"Of course she's behind it."

"Who?"

"I'll... tell you someday, Nick."

"Ok",said Phoenix.

"Nick!",said Maya,"Why don't we go for a meal!"

"Sure."

"There's this new place",said Maya,"It sells this thing they call burgers"

"It sounds good",said Phoenix.

"It's beef between to slices of bread with vegetables, cheese, and sauce."

"That must... be expensive",said Phoenix.

"It's only 4 Japanifornian pounds",said Maya.

"Wh-WHAT!",exclaimed the blue knight, jumping up in shock.

"Good luck, Wright",said Edgeworth, walking off.

"What? Demand is going up",said Maya,"It's very popular among the nobles and wealthy patricians."

"You know that knights don't make nearly enough!",exclaimed Phoenix,"That's enough money for 3 meals!" He felt the money he owned dwindle rapidly.

"So? We can just have it occasionally",said Maya. Phoenix stopped for a moment, considering Maya's words before...

"I guess just for today."

"Yay!"

* * *

"Hello",said Phoenix.

"Hello there, sir",said the waitress,"How may I serve you?" At that moment, a woman walked in. Phoenix turned around to be faced by a prominent figure. The waitress walked out and kneeled down. Phoenix and Maya followed suite.

"Y-your Majesty Queen Lana Skye!",exclaimed Phoenix,"It is an honor!"

"Rise, Wright",said Lana,"As the late Mia Fey's apprentice, you are an honored member of the knights."

"Th-thank you",said Phoenix.

"And you, Maya Fey",said Lana,"Rise."

"O-ok",said Maya.

"It's been a while since we've seen you, oh young Maya",said Lana, speaking as a royal would.

"It's an honor to see you again",said Maya.

"M-my Queen",spoke the waitress,"What do you wish to order from our humble store?"

"Serve these two first",said Lana, speaking politely.

"No, it is quite alright Your Majesty",said Phoenix.

"Nonsense",said Lana,"Please, serve these two first."

"We would just like two burgers",said Phoenix.

"Two burgers coming up",said the waiter,"and you, Your Majesty?"

"A single burger",said Lana,"I've heard talk of it among the nobles. They all say it is a gift from the gods."

"Alright",said the waitress, scrambling to get the orders. Phoenix and Maya sat down at a table. Lana followed suit, her long robes draping down to the floor. She sat down by the two.

"So, Madame Fey",said Lana,"How have you been managing since the incident?"

"I've been managing",said Maya, sighing.

"You needn't concern yourself, Your Majesty!"exclaimed Phoenix,"I assure you that I have been taking care of her since the incident."

"I'll decide what I needn't concern myself with",said Lana, her words sharp, unmatched by her voice.

"V-v-very well",said Phoenix, clearly intimidated.

"Here you go",said the waitress,"I assure you, our meals are made from the finest meats and vegetables." A group of the staff had exited the kitchen to view the Queen's reaction to eating the burger.

"This... is incredible",said Lana Skye,"Excellent job. I personally approve of this meal." The entire room erupted into cheering. Afterwards, all three of the customers dug in until they finished their dishes and then they parted.

* * *

"That was amazing!",exclaimed Maya,'We should have more tomorrow."

"The only knight who would be able to afford that would be the head knights",said Phoenix.

"F-fair enough",said Maya, dejectedly,"I wish Mia took me." Phoenix responded by putting a concerned hand on her shoulder.

"Nick! What's for dinner",said Maya.

"Nothing",said Phoenix,"I spent money on the burger which was worth three meals."

"Nggggh!",said Maya,"But I might die! Then you'll fail Mia's last wish!"

"..."

"Please Nick! Mia and I will haunt you if you don't feed me!"

"F-fine!",Phoenix mumbled,"I'll see what I have in my kitchen."

"In my village, a maid does our cooking",said Maya.

"I can't afford to pay a maid",said Phoenix.

"Well then, let's hurry up!"

* * *

After Maya had eaten her plate and Phoenix's, the two sat on Phoenix's small cushions.

"Niiiiick! I'm booooored!",said Maya.

"Let's go outside then. A walk, perhaps?",said Phoenix.

"You don't need to be such a spoilsport! We can go on that studio tour I mentioned!" At that moment, a knock was heard at the door. When the door was opened, a man stood there.

"Oh, come in!",Phoenix kindly offered.

"Th-thank you",said the man.

"So, why did you visit at this time of evening?"

"Tell me something, Sir Wright",said the man,"The knights are about justice, correct?"

"Our job is to dispense justice throughout the land",said Phoenix.

"I wasn't asking about your job",said the man,"What does being a knight mean to you personally?"

"Well... that's...",said Phoenix,"To bring justice to the people with no one on their side."

"Th-thank you",said the man,"My name is Will Powers."

"Wait!",exclaimed Maya,"eeeek! It's the Steel Samurai!"

"Maya! Are you ok?"

"It's the... It's the... It's the Steel Samurai!"

"What!"

"Relax",said Powers, smiling,"I'm only the actor for the Steel Samurai."

"So, why did an actor come to see me?"

"I need your help with a task",said Powers,"I've enlisted the help of a prosecutorial knight and a few employees who work with me on the stage show.

"Wait, a prosecutorial knight?"

"Miles Edgeworth, I believe would be his name",said Powers.

"S-Sir Edgeworth!",exclaimed Maya.

"I'll help you out",said Phoenix,"Maya, stay here and go to Sir Gro-."

"What are you talking about, Nick?",said Maya,"I'm going with you!"

"Very well",said Phoenix,"What's the task?"

"I heard it's very similar to your first task",said Powers,"We are traveling to end a blackmailer and murderer's life."

"Why?"

"The actor for the evil magistrate was murdered",said Powers,"He was a close colleague of mine and we know the perpetrator! But she's fled. We need to travel and end her."

"Alright",said Phoenix,"We shall prepare for our journey and join you at once. Where will we meet?"

"Tomorrow at 3 past noon",said Powers,"We shall meet at the studios."

"We shall prepare immediately",said Phoenix.

"Farewell, Sir Wright",said Powers. He exited the small room and the door was closed.

"Nick! Let's get ready!",said Maya.

"Maya, are you sure you want to come along?"

"I'm certain! I shall offer whatever support I can!"

"Then, we shall go make preparations",said Phoenix.

* * *

Phoenix hauled the two's luggage down to the studios and they sat at the entrance. Shortly, Powers opened the door for them to come inside. They entered quickly and were greeted with a group of strange characters. An old woman, a young brown haired woman, and Edgeworth.

"We're all ready",said Powers. Phoenix had brought with him several horses. The group mounted and began to ride away from the studios.

"Can I ask for further details regarding this mission?",said Phoenix.

"The one we are after is the one who pays the money for our show",said Powers.

"That one's dirty!",said the old woman,"Why back in my day, if anyone dared blackmail someone they'd be blasted into oblivion by the witches at the time! But now that they've been exterminated it's so hard to get people to follow laws and-!"

"Hammer's end was unjust",said Powers,"That's all for now."

"Very well",said the old woman,"My name is Wendy Oldbag, got it!"

"Let's just focus on riding",said Edgeworth.

"Hmm? My what a handsome knight you are",Oldbag remarked to Edgeworth,"I believe my heart skipped a beat."

"U-u-ughh",said Edgeworth,"Focus on riding!" Phoenix and Maya both chuckled much to Edgeworth's chagrin.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm so sorry this chapter took too long. And is too short. It went through several different phases and had some completely different plots. The only thing that stayed consistent with the original chapter I wrote is the burger scene. If anyone PMs me, I will send you some of my ideas for earlier drafts. Anyways, I hope you enjoy!**

 **Cheers,**

 **Muhammad S.**


	6. Chapter 5: A Short Journey

**A/N: Hello everyone! Welcome to part 2 of the Steel Samurai arc! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! This one was hard to write, and I did my best to capture emotion. Enjoy!**

* * *

Miles Edgeworth was mad. He was in utter fury and agony. He had to deal with an hour of an old woman commenting on his looks, while Phoenix and Maya laughed at him. He had no idea how he was roped into the mission. That was a lie, he knew exactly why he came with them, but he regretted it.

Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey were amused. Seeing Edgeworth this flustered and annoyed was hilarious. It was something they would pay to see, and they didn't even need to. The crazy old woman was actually annoying Edgeworth!

"It's almost night",said Powers,"I say we start gathering wood to set up a fire and set up a camp."

"Yes!",Edgeworth agreed, instantaneously, hoping to be freed from Oldbag's torture. The group dismounted and as Edgeworth and Powers began to set up a pit for the fire and the tents, Maya and Phoenix went to gather firewood. Phoenix held the axe.

"Nick! Why do we have to get the wood!",exclaimed Maya.

"Because",said Phoenix,"They have to do everything else."

"But it's dark and scary!",she whimpered.

"Let's just get it over with",said Phoenix,"Carry some of it for me."

"I regret coming..."

* * *

Meanwhile, Miles and Powers were setting up the tent.

"I have a question for you",said Edgeworth.

"If you're asking when Oldbag will stop harassing you, then I have no idea",said Powers.

"What I wanted to ask is what did this woman we are pursuing have over Sir Hammer",said Edgeworth.

"None of us knew",said Powers,"Except for... Oldbag. She'll never tell us though. We've tried to persuade her, but she always says that it's best that we don't know for Hammer's sake. Now look at what's happened!"

"Whippersnapper!",exclaimed Oldbag,"Hammer's dead now! It doesn't matter!"

"If you don't tell us, then we can't kill her",said Edgeworth,"It would be an _unjust killing_."

"Unjust killing?",questioned Powers.

"A knight has a very long list of when it's ok to resort to murder",said Edgeworth,"If her only crime is murder, then she will only be captured and stand trial. However, if the blackmail is true, she can be executed immediately."

"Ngh!",cried Oldbag,"I... need some time."

* * *

Phoenix swung the axe down and chopped the wood into small sticks.

"Nick! I want to try!",said Maya.

"No",said Phoenix,"Your job is to carry the wood." Maya slashed her finger and a purple blast cut an entire block of wood efficiently. Phoenix gaped. Maya smirked.

"See Nick! I think you know who should be cutting the wood now!"

* * *

Phoenix was carrying a large bag filled to the brim with wood. Maya smiled triumphantly about her victory over Phoenix. The two placed the wood in the fireplace.

"Wright... where's the rocks?",said Edgeworth.

"What?",said Phoenix.

"The rocks to light the fire!"

"I thought you had some!"

"Dammit!",said Edgeworth,"Well, looks like we won't have a fire tonight."

"I can fix that!",exclaimed Maya. She pointed her hands at the pit and began to move her hands in a circular motion, while circling around the fire. She attempted to push her weight down, but no fire came down. The only thing that came out of her hand was a few sparks.

"What happened?",said Phoenix.

"I... still need more training",said Maya, looking down sadly.

"You produced a spark",said Edgeworth,"For now, that's all we need." Edgeworth started blowing at the group of sparks. They began to illuminate brighter until a very small fire started.

"Nice job, Sir Edgeworth",said Powers.

"You can only succeed with my assistance!",exclaimed Edgeworth, smirking,"I foresaw this moment, and brought this." He pulled out a small container. He trickled a few drops out onto the fire. Suddenly, the wood was burning and a large fire was what they were faced with.

"What is that?",said Phoenix.

"Alcohol",said Edgeworth,"As you may know, pouring it onto fire caused the fire to grow in size."

"E-excellent job",said Powers. They all sat down near the fire, basking in its warmth. The heated fire helped warm them.

"This is so warm",said Phoenix,"It helps especially because it's the mildes season."

"Where I was born, everyone used the terms Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter",said Powers.

"Never have I heard of such terms",said Phoenix,"We use the terms milder, buran, mildes, and ferez."

"How interesting how the terms in the capitol city vary from those we use",said Powers,"I never got to thank you for coming along with me. If it wasn't for you, we could never avenge Jack."

"So who is this woman we are hunting",said Phoenix, curiously.

"Hammer's killer",said Powers,"And blackmailer."

"Do you know what her name is?"

"Dee Vasquez",said Powers,"She's a despicable woman."

"Everyone",said Edgeworth, glaring at him,"Get rest! Tomorrow is our arrival!"

"A-already?"

"Trust me",said Edgeworth,"You'll need your best if you want to stand a chance, Phoenix Wright!"

"Very well",said Phoenix.

* * *

It was a bright morning. Maya Fey stood up and stretched. Shortly, the rest of them woke up.

"Morning",said Maya.

"Shut it, whippersnapper!",exclaimed Oldbag,"I've decided to talk!"

"About what?"

"Hammer! What she has over him!",said Oldbag.

"Inform us!",exclaimed Edgeworth.

"Oh Hammer",she said,"Forgive me."

"Tell us!"

"Several years ago, during a practice session Hammer accidentally knocked another actor into a sharp prop",said Oldbag,"And with that, he fell from fame. She swept it under the rug and used it to blackmail Hammer."

"What a sad story",said Maya, tears in her eyes.

"I've tried to support Hammer, but you know what happened to him...",said Oldbag,"So promise to bring her to justice!"

"I, Miles Edgeworth, vow to do so!"

"I vow to bring her to justice!",said Phoenix.

"We'll be there in less than an hour",said Powers,"Prepare yourself."

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. I really couldn't think of anything else to put in. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Hopefully, you will enjoy the next chapter! Farewell!**


	7. Chapter 6: Steel Warrior of Japanfornia

**A/N: Hello everyone! Welcome to the final chapter in the Steel Samurai arc. This introduces some of the darker, more mature themes I plan to use. I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

The group rode towards the large trailer that awaited. Their confrontation was creeping down their spines.

"There she is!",exclaimed Powers, dismounting and drawing his spear.

"A spear?",questioned Phoenix.

"The show has given me a lot of practice with the spear",exclaimed Powers.

"How ironic",spoke the deep, menacing voice of the sponsor,"You're going to do me in by something I helped make!"

"D-dammit Vasquez!",exclaimed Powers,"Why did you kill Hammer!"

"Why would Hammer have presented himself to me in such a way",said Dee Vasquez. She lit a stick from a strange plant and whiffed,"Hammer attempted to kill me."

"LIES!",cried Powers. Powers was about to deliver a fatal blow, when suddenly, Vasquez raised her hand and a green blast prevented Powers from landing the fatalistic blow.

"N-no! It can't be!",exclaimed Powers.

"I've got it!",exclaimed Maya, before using all her energy to direct a blast at Vasquez. She effortlessly dissipated it, despite Maya's best efforts. Edgeworth dismounted and began to run at Vasquez with all his speed. When Vasquez attempted to shoot a blast at Edgeworth, he jumped in the air and avoided it and then began to prepare to swing his sword down. Vasquez dodged his blow and then blasted him back.

Maya tried to blast at Vasquez, while the knights attempted to charge her. She used one hand to deal with Maya and the other to deal with the knights.

"(Now's a good time to use _that ability_ )",thought Edgeworth, before placing the scene before him on a chessboard, and instantly assessing the situation.

"She can deal with both of us giving our all, therefore we need to attempt a different strategy then pummeling her directly. Logically, our best option is surprise, but she already knows of our presence, and our fleeing to make another surprise attack would give her an opportunity to escape",thought Edgeworth instantly, gaining a full grasp on the situation,"Maya Fey has a special ability in her bloodline. I know it! But which one is it... It's our only hope in such a scenario!"

"Edgeworth!",exclaimed Phoenix,"What are you doing!"

"I'm analyzing the situation using my ability!",exclaimed Edgeworth.

"I forgot the Edgeworth family could do that!",exclaimed Phoenix.

"Listen here",said Edgeworth,"Madame Fey's ability is our only chance of success. The ability that all the Feys have. Your mentor said something to that effect!"

"Our ability!",exclaimed Maya,"How could I forget!" Maya ceases her blast and focuses her energy into her spirit.

"What is it?",questioned Phoenix.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you about that, Wright. I died before I was able to." Mia had now stood behind Maya.

"A-AAAAAAH!",cried Phoenix, in pure shock.

"Alright",said Maya,"I've channeled my sis's magic and can now defeat her." Maya concentrated on Mia before unleashing an incredibly ferocious blast at Vasquez. Vasquez was able to send a blast of less power at Maya, but it only temporarily shielded her from the sisters' combined strength. Vasquez went flying into the trailer.

Powers, Edgeworth, and Phoenix began to run at the trailer. Maya entered the room, but her throat was grabbed and she was lifted off the ground.

"Stupid girl!",exclaimed Vasquez. Vasquez unleashed a powerful blast at Maya, who went flying out of the trailer.

"M-Maya!",exclaimed Phoenix, who rushed to help his fallen comrade. He kneeled down at her side.

"N-Nick",said Maya. With difficulty, she stood up.

"M-Maya",spoke the voice of Mia,"Be careful." Maya began to run back into the trailer. The Magatama around her neck started glowing a golden color. Suddenly, a small unrecognizable golden figure came flying out of it and landed straight in Vasquez's heart. She cried from an unbearable pain. Before long, her consciousness faded. Powers lifted up a sword.

"Y-you",he croaked,"Hammer..." He fell to the ground as tears started to pour out of his eyes.

"We shall capture her and take her back to the capitol city",said Edgeworth.

"We need to be careful",said Phoenix,"We know how people in the city tend to respond to witches."

"I've been attacked several times already",said Maya, tears beginning to form,"People have threatened to burn me alive, torture me, and kill me." Her tears began to openly fall.

"The witches predicament is not my concern",said Edgeworth,"The ability that the Edgeworth family possesses is not magic."

"The ability to logically assess a situation and find the solution instantly",said Phoenix.

"This has helped the Edgeworth's throughout the generations",said Edgeworth,"Some of the best kings' advisors have been my ancestors."

"Several noble families have abilities that descend through the ages",said Maya,"The Feys have always been able to channel the magical energy of a dead witch. I can also communicate with any dead person."

"The most dangerous magical ability",said Edgeworth.

"How so?",said Phoenix. Edgeworth muttered something.

"DL-6",said Edgeworth.

"DL-6?"

"Y-you don't need to know!",exclaimed Edgeworth, his voice sullen. He walked off.

"DL-6."

"Maya?",said Phoenix,"Let's head back."

"A-Alright",said Maya. The two prepared for a long journey to return.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry about the short chapter. I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Cheers,**

 **Muhammad S.**


	8. Chapter 7: Miles Edgeworth

**A/N: I'm back! I hope you all enjoy the beginning of the final DL-6 arc!**

* * *

"Hey Nick!" exclaimed Maya ",Are there any waterfalls near the capitol city?"

"Why on earth would you need a waterfall," said Phoenix ",If you need to bathe, just use the ocean."

"No Nick!,"exclaimed Maya ",I need to train and hone my magical abilities!"

"Well, why don't you have one of the fishermen dump a boat full of water on you?",said Phoenix, sarcastically.

"..." said Maya ",That's a great idea!" She ran off.

"(Clearly witches can't detect sarcasm),"thought Phoenix. Suddenly, a loud screech could be heard.

"SIIIIR!" exclaimed the mail woman ",Ihave the daily news!"

"Thank you," said Phoenix, retrieving the papers.

"Hmph," he said ",Gourdy? That's nonsense. The dragon have been extinct for several decades. To say a new water dragon has appeared is crazy."

"N-Nick!" exclaimed Maya ",The fisherman yelled at me! He said that I'm a demented magic woman!"

"Interesting," said Phoenix, sipping from a cup of tea, but shortly spat it out as he saw what else was highlighted in the magazine.

"Nick! Is that all you've got to say!"

"Maya, we've got bigger things to worry about!" exclaimed Phoenix ",Read this!" She gaped.

"A-AAAAH!," exclaimed Maya ",Sir Edgeworth did that!"

"I-I won't believe it!",exclaimed Phoenix,"We need to pay a visit to Edgeworth!"

"I-I understand."

* * *

Phoenix knocked on the door to Edgeworth's quarters.

"Pesky journalist!",exclaimed Edgeworth, as he opened the door,"Oh, Wright!" He glared. He began to close the door, but with a striking speed that made him one of the youngest knights in a decade, he placed his armored foot in the doorway, preventing the door from closing.

"We need to talk, Edgeworth",said Phoenix. Edgeworth sighed.

"Come in, Wright, Madame Fey",said Edgeworth, inviting them inside.

"Edgeworth, you didn't do it, did you?",exclaimed Phoenix.

"Cutting straight to the chase, are you, Wright?",said Edgeworth,"I haven't even prepared tea. Go on then! Laugh away at my pathetic failure!"

"You didn't",said Phoenix,"I know you, Edgeworth." He crossed his arms and glanced sideways.

"Wright! Stay away from this",said Edgeworth,"This doesn't involve you!"

"E-Edgewor-"

"Get out",said Edgeworth,"Get. Out."

"Come on Maya",said Phoenix,"We need to find answers. And we're clearly not having luck here." He glared at Edgeworth, before turning and walking out.

* * *

The two walked around Gourd Lake.

"Nick! We need to find out more about this!",said Maya.

"I know",said Phoenix.

"Bah! There's nothing more to find out! Edgeworth is the guilty one!"

"Wh-who is that?",said Phoenix.

"It is I, the perfect knight, Manfred von Karma!",exclaimed von Karma.

"Who?",questioned Maya.

"Stupid girl!",exclaimed von Karma,"Haven't you ever researched knights! Have the educators of this generation become this dull! Bah!"

"N-Nick",said Maya, tears in her eyes.

"It is truly despicable to harass a lady of this kingdom",said Phoenix,"You should be ashamed of your actions!"

"Bah!",exclaimed von Karma,"I'll have no rookie knight tell me what to do, Edgeworth is guilty!"

"I disagr-."

"Bah! Sadly, you have no choice on this matter! Now run along! You know, the spirit of the deceased Robert Hammond will haunt you if you linger around the lake of his death."

"Wait, I think I've heard that name",said Maya.

"Let's return to our lodgings",said Phoenix.

* * *

"Ah! I've just remembered",exclaimed Maya,"Nick! That Hammond was an Attornial knight I saw once when I visited my sister. He was working with a man named Marvin Grossberg."

"He's the interim head Attornial Knight until we can find one to replace Mia",said Phoenix,"Let's speak with him immediately!"

* * *

"No one's here",said Phoenix.

"AHEEEEM!" A man walked in.

"Ah! Sir Grossberg!",exclaimed Maya.

"Madame Fey!",exclaimed Grossberg,"I never got to fully apologize for your sister's untimely end. I'm so very sorry."

"I-it's fine, Sir Grossberg. I know how much you helped my sister, so it's fine. Right, Nick!"

"Oh, and who might you be?"

"I'm Phoenix Wright, Mia was my mentor and a master of her craft",said Phoenix.

"Oh! So you're the one she mentored",said Grossberg,"Sorry for your loss, m'boy."

"It's fine",said Phoenix,"We actually wanted to ask you about someone."

"Someone?"

"A man by the name of Robert Hammond",said Phoenix.

"Hm?... oh!",exclaimed Grossberg,"Robert Hammond stood as a _defender_ in the DL-6!"

"Ah!",exclaimed Maya,"D-DL-6!"

"It happened 15 years ago",said Grossberg,"It is what sparked the hatred of witches."

"My mother",said Maya as tears began to form in her eyes.

"Three people were traveling back to the city on return from a mission",said Grossberg,"Yanni Yogi, Gregory Edgeworth, and Miles Edgeworth"

"Edgeworth!",exclaimed Phoenix.

"Suddenly, all three of them were sparred into battle",said Grossberg,"Some strange, unknown force was blasting magic at them from all sides."

"Wh-who was it?",said Phoenix.

"We don't know",said Grossberg,"After that, the assailant fled and the trio sat down. They continued their journey. Suddenly, they were blasted with more magic, a strange magic, one that caused them to lose their rational thought."

"So, what happened?",said Phoenix.

"One of them was found dead",said Grossberg,"That was Gregory Edgeworth."

"So, What happened?"

"For the murder of one of the most honorable knights, Yanni Yogi was sent to the dungeon for life. However, he appealed for his freedom, claiming his innocence. His case was pathetic, and the king at the time had two knights duel to decide his innocence. Well, Robert Hammond dueled for Yogi's innocence, and he struck down the other knight."

"They didn't even give him trial?"

"Trials were a hilarious farce in the eyes of former king Blaise Debeste",said Grossberg,"He was one of the most hated kings. But that's not what we need to focus on. Hammond got Yogi freedom, but Yogi was constantly ridiculed and threatened. His wife was kidnapped shortly afterwards and was tortured to death."

"That's so awful",said Maya, tears forming.

"Anyways, I've told you the story",said Grossberg,"Remember the DL-6."

"Th-thank you",said Phoenix, before turning to face Maya,"Let's go see Edgeworth again."

* * *

Phoenix knocked on the door. Edgeworth opened the door and was faced by Phoenix.

"Wright! Be gone!" Edgeworth began to close the door, but once again, Phoenix's foot blocked the way.

"I know about DL-6!"

"What! How could you possib-." Edgeworth stopped himself, logically assessing the scenario, as he always does.

"We know how much DL-6 hurt you! And it hurt me too!",exclaimed Maya.

"Hmph",said Edgeworth,"Your mother."

"You lost someone you loved and so did I!",exclaimed Maya,"So please, allow us to help you!"

"Gah!",he cried,"Fine. I was trying to hide DL-6, but it seems I've failed. Wright, I give you permission to do some form of investigation on my behalf."

"We won't let you down, Edgeworth!"

"Let's go to Gourd Lake!",exclaimed Maya.

* * *

 **A/N: Such a good chapter to write. I was having writer's block before, but I have my big train of thought back and am ready to continue uploading on this story. I hope you enjoyed!**

 **Cheers,**

 **Muhammad S.**


	9. Chapter 8: An Investigation for a Friend

**A/N: My train of thought continues! I'm writing these en masse right now before my train of thought dies. I'll upload these over the course of the next few weeks so just to inform you, by the time you're reading this, the DL-6 arc is probably done. I do hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

"So this is Gourd Lake," said Phoenix.

"I-it's beautiful," said Maya. They stared at a lake that had several rocky landforms on all sides. The sun shone down onto the foggy lake.

"Hmph. This is beautiful? It's pathetic in comparison to several other locations in this kingdom."

"Ah! S-Sir von Karma!," exclaimed Phoenix.

"So, Edgeworth wants you to help him out of his dilemma," said von Karma ",Pathetic."

"W-we'll prove his innocence!," exclaimed Maya.

"Ha! You think a rookie knight and a witch can accomplish that!"

"W-we will!," cried Maya. Phoenix and Maya walked off from von Karma.

"Maya," said Phoenix ",Please don't provoke von Karma."

"We have to prove him wrong, Nick," said Maya ",We need to prove Mr. Edgeworth's innocence!"

"I-I understand." The two walked past the beach and walked into the forest. They were greeted by a carriage with a horse tied to a tree. Overlooking the lake, a woman stood there, observing the scenery. She placed her hand on the portrait. Suddenly, it lit up and portrayed several images of the lake.

"Wh-what!," cried Phoenix. The woman jumped up in shock and ran towards the two.

"Y'all scared me half to death!," she cried ",Aren't you supposed to be one of em' honored knights! All I seen is a dishonored knight!"

"By the gods," exclaimed Phoenix ",I have never seen somebody who so openly expresses everything lingering in their thoughts, while simultaneously phrasing it in such an indignant manner."

"Don't you talk about us southern folks like that, knight boy!"

"N-niiick," cried Maya ,"Who is this?"

"The name's Lotta Hart, ya hear!," exclaimed Lotta ",Just because I'm uncivilized, doesn't mean all of us southern Japanifornians are! 'Sides, we all know how dignified these in the capitol are! Y'know! Witches being treated like garbage and all!" At this, Maya staggered.

"Sh-she's not wrong. This city has a hatred for witches that I will never understand," said Maya ",I explained to you how I've been threatened before, right Nick?"

"It's a truly sad matter," said Phoenix ",Perhaps we can question Edgeworth about it later."

"So, ya seen me use my magic, have ya?"

"Yes, I was wanting to ask, how does it work?," questioned Phoenix.

"'Tis an ability I was born with," Lotta explained ",The ability to capture something an apply it to a parchment."

"Th-that's incredible!," exclaimed Maya.

"But, I'd be a happy gal if ya don't tell anyone," said Lotta ",In the city, they treat witches as if they were blasphemous demons. Kinda like 'em Shayateen."

"Terrifying," said Phoenix ",Witches are not nearly as scary as them..."

"Let's hope we have no encounters with them," spoke Maya.

"So, I heard some fellas talking about something that happened here yesterday," explained Lotta ",And I just realized, what if the item I enchanted with my magic got an image of that!"

"C-can you show us!"

"Naw. This is going straight to the inspectors!"

"Wait!" Lotta ran off.

"Ugh."

"What now, Nick?"

"Let us return to the beach," said Phoenix.

* * *

"Hey pal!"

"U-umm, who,are you?," questioned Phoenix.

"I'm Inspector Dick Gumshoe! Here, and at your service," spoke Gumshoe ",To help you save Sir Edgeworth!"

"A-Alright, Sir Gumshoe," said Phoenix ",Can you tell us more about what happened?"

"Late last night, around the twelfth hour of the night, two men rode on a boat and one killed the other using an enchanted sword designed to silence the victim," said Gumshoe ",Edgeworth was suspected and therefore he was temporarily relieved of his position as a knight until he is proven to not be a factor in this unjust murder."

"Why was he suspected?"

"He was seen getting of the boat by himself, afterwards," said Gumshoe ",The only way the people will believe him innocent is if some new evidence is found and the true culprit is apprehended. Then Sir Edgeworth can be reinstated!"

"If I may ask, why are you so keen on helping Edgeworth?"

"He helped me so many years back, pal! But, that's another story. Why are YOU so eager to help him, pal!"

"That's... a long story," said Phoenix ",I'll tell it to you after we resolve the incident."

"Alright pal!"

"Has anyone seen the incident?"

"We have two people. One of them has some kind of magical image of the incident."

"Lotta..."

"We are going to try and use her power to get a full visual representation so we can try and identify who was on that boat. Speaking of which, here she comes!"

"Y'all listen, I better be compensated for this well!"

"F-fine." A small group of eager inspectors had gathered in front of them. von Karma was among them. Lotta raised her hands over the lake and suddenly, a boat seemingly appeared onto the lake. Everyone filed into boats, and went to inspect the boat.

"Th-this is!"

"Th-that's!"

"E-Edgeworth!"

"Can you play out the image!" exclaimed von Karma. Suddenly, the man held up a sword, screamed and fell back into the lake. He quickly swam away.

"Th-this can't be!,"exclaimed von Karma.

"We can't identify who that other man was, but Th-this proves that!"

Objection!

"This proves nothing!," exclaimed von Karma ",Edgeworth still must have done this."

"C-can you prove it!," exclaimed Phoenix ",You have nothing over Edgeworth!"

"Fine then," said von Karma ",Edgeworth will be reinstated... once you find some kind of proof indicative of another culprit!"

"Nick! Let's go find that evidence!"

"Wait, pal!," exclaimed Gumshoe ",Can I come along with you!"

"S-sure, Sir Gumshoe." The trio walked towards the small wooden table set up near the beach. The bench was littered with a strange food item.

"Aaah! Nick!" A man wearing a strange beard and clothing emerged.

"Nick! You know Saint Nicholas!," exclaimed Maya. The man removed the fake beard and revealed himself.

"L-L-LAAAAARY!"

"Nick, who's this girl with you. Oh wait, have you managed to court a lady! I can't believe it!"

"No Larry... This is my late mentor's sister. Her name is Maya Fey. I am looking after her until the whole situation with her sister stabilizes."

"Hello!," chirped Maya.

"Larry, did you see anything here last night?," said Phoenix.

"N-no! Of course not! I s-s-saw n-n-n-noth-thing."

"Halt! I reckon I can guess what it Tis' he saw!" Lotta jumped out from the shadows and revealed herself.

"Lotta!"

"I reckon he saw Gourdy!"

"R-ridiculous! It's been thousands of years since dragons were seen on this land."

"Oh come on Nick, live a little. Wouldn't it be cool to think a water dragon still lives!," exclaimed Maya.

"Unless I see it with my own eyes, I won't belie-."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

"Wh-what was that!," exclaimed Phoenix. The group of fighters proceeded to run back to the beach and was faced with a sight that would stick with them for the rest of their lives. A group of inspectors stood next to von Karma, who had a sword with ruby lining the blade. In front of them was a dragon. A genuine water dragon. The last on earth.

"GGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDDYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!," exclaimed Lotta ",I cant believe it!" She used her ability and captured several images of the monster.

"Back!," exclaimed von Karma. With a single breath, the dragon rose an enormous wave of water to drown the group. Maya quickly used all of her strength to attempt to heave the water back at the dragon, but it was all in vain. The wave came crashing down at the group, washing them off of the beach. When they recovered the saw as the dragon retreated under the water.

"I-I-I." Maya's voice was shaking.

"Maya?"

"N-Nick... I'm useless. I couldn't even prevent the water from crashing down onto us."

"But, we're all fine!," exclaimed Phoenix ",Trust me, Maya. You're not useless."

"D-do you really think so?"

"Nick! That's it! That's what I saw that night. I saw... Gourdy! I also heard a loud scream."

"Larry. That's what you heard. You're certain."

"Absolutely. It was around the midnight hour. Slightly before."

"Before?," said Phoenix ",But, Lotta's magic detected the boat shortly after the midnight hour."

"I heard two screams after the midnight hour," spoke Lotta.

"Two?," said Phoenix ",This is making no sense whatsoever."

"Nick! I think I came up with something. If Sir Edgeworth was on that boat, and he's truly innocent, then what if one of those screams was his?"

"Lotta?"

"They did sound kinda different. I reckon that Edgeworth boy is one of the screamers."

"I think we need to speak with Edgeworth," said Phoenix.

"Hmph. I wish to speak with that boy as well."

"(It's that deep chilling voice)," thought Phoenix.

"von Karma!"

"You! Witch girl!," exclaimed von Karma.

"Y-y-y-yes?"

"Fetch Edgeworth, now!"

"But, I'm here to he-."

"NOW! The gods know you have no other purpose!"

"von Karma! You went too far!," exclaimed Phoenix ",Let's go get him together, Maya."

"O-o-o-o-ok." She seemed more emotionally worse off then before.

"(Damn you, von Karma!)"

* * *

"Wright? What are you doing here?"

"We want you to come to the Gourd Lake beach. We have some questions. And so does... von Karma."

"Hmph. V-very well." Edgeworth proceeded to follow the group to the scene that they had been several minutes prior.

* * *

"E-Edgeworth. I have a question first."

"Alright, Wright."

"On the night you were on the boat, two cries were heard. Were you one of the people who yelled out?"

"Wright! Let me just tell you everything that happened."

"We can't trust his words!"

"von Karma! Stop talking!," exclaimed Phoenix.

"How dare you, you insolent pes-."

"On that night, I was invited down to the lake with a letter from Robert Hammond. We got on a boat together. Suddenly, he was wielding flames in both arms. Of course, I yelled out in shock. I was in terror. Suddenly, his flames dissipated and he yelled out in what seemed to be agony. He fell back into the water. I was shocked at what happened, but I managed to steer the boat back to the shore and I returned home."

"He died from a sword wound. The person had to be right next to him for a wound like that," said von Karma ",It has to be Edgewor-."

"No! What if that boat wasn't where the guy died?"

"That's preposterous!"

"That'll be made clear as we continue investigating."

"Very well."

"Wright. It seems you are making progress."

"Edgeworth. I'll prove your innocence."

"Hmph. Bold claim."

"Are there any other witnesses?," said Maya.

"Good question, Maya."

"There's one more. I heard it from that von Karma creep! He said that he's the boat shop owner!," said Lotta.

"Got it," spoke Phoenix.

"I'm coming, pal." The group walked inside of the boat shop.

* * *

They walked in to be greeted by an old man.

"K-Keith! M-Megan!," exclaimed the old man ",I knew you two would come back!"

"What?"

"You'll do it? You'll run this famous Japanifornian restaurant when I'm gone?"

"H-huh!," questioned Maya ",What restaurant!'

"This one! The wet noodle! Please, I'm begging ya!"

"O-ok, but can you give us some info about last night?," said Phoenix.

"Last night? You mean when that sonny boy killed the kind gentleman?"

"Wh-what! C-can you tell us what you saw!"

"I saw a boat go out with two men on it, and then shortly afterwards, one walks back alone."

"R-really?"

"I'm sure of it!," exclaimed the old man.

"Oooh! Nick, what's this cool bird!" Maya's eyes were shining.

"That there's Polly! She'll tell me anything I want!" The old man smiled at his bird.

"Polly! Are there any secrets here?," said Maya.

"There's that hatch underneath the table that can only be unlocked with magic! Also, don't forget DL-6!"

"DL-6!" Phoenix's mind went ablaze.

"Everyone, I'm gonna take Polly for a walk," said the old man ",Everyone leave please." He ushered everyone out and took the bird for a walk.

"What kind of person takes a bird on a walk?," questioned Phoenix.

"Next time we come here, let's make sure to take a look around," said Maya.

"Let's speak with Edgeworth," said Phoenix.

* * *

A single knock on the door was enough to have Edgeworth open it up.

"Wright? What is it?," said Edgeworth.

"Edgeworth? Remember that old man that saw you walk off of the boat?," said Phoenix ",He has a connection to DL-6."

"Wh-whaaat!," exclaimed Edgeworth ",C-could he be?"

"Could he be what?," said Phoenix.

"Could he be Yanni Yogi!"

"Yanni Yogi? You mean the other man with you and your father during DL-6?"

"Wright. I-I need you to check every part of his house. Trust me. I think he's responsible for this incident."

"W-we'll do that, then."

"Wright. Trust me. Search as thoroughly as you can!"

"I understand, Edgeworth," said Phoenix.

"Let's go then, Nick."

* * *

The group entered the mysterious man's abode. An immediate dark aura had struck them the moment they had set foot in the room. Almost as if it was gathering emotions and secrets for several years.

"This room's aura is terrifying," said Maya, shivering.

"It's the same feeling I feel whenever I face a Shayateen," said Phoenix ",Terrifying."

"Let's just finish what we came here to do," said Maya ",And then leave." The duo ducked under the table and as the bird had said, there appeared to be hatch.

"Maya, if you will do the honors."

"I'll try, Nick." She placed her hands on the door and closed her eyes. Her hands began to light up, yet it was fruitless. The door didn't unlock. It merely sat there, unmoving. Tears had begun to well up in Maya's eyes.

"I-I-I knew it," said Maya ",I-I truly am useless." Her voice shook as the tears in her eyes began to openly fall.

"M-Maya! No! You're not useless! You've helped me out on countless occasions!"

"B-b-but I'm a witch who can't even use magic!," she cried.

"Maya, it's fine," said Phoenix ",You're not useless!"

"I-I-I am," she spoke ",I really am..."

* * *

Phoenix had invited Lotta to open the hatch. The hatch has opened and Phoenix had retrieved the item inside. Lotta had left the boat shop.

"N-nick," spoke Maya ",Wh-what does it say?"

"Th-this says!," exclaimed Phoenix. ...

"Get your revenge on the two men who destroyed you. Robert Hammond and Miles Edgeworth. Use this pistol to frame him and destroy his life. Kill Hammond and then carry him to the lake. Get Edgeworth on a boat and frame him." The letter wasn't signed, yet it proved his point. This was what Phoenix Wright had been looking for.

* * *

"Mr. von Karma!," exclaimed Phoenix ",Read this letter!"

"Th-this is!"

"These are the murder plot instructions!"

"Pal! Th-this proves Mr. Edgeworth's innocence!," exclaimed Gumshoe.

"Hmph," said von Karma ",Well I have some information for you. The old man... has fled the city. Some people have seen him, so tomorrow I, Edgeworth, you, and that witch girl will travel to hunt him down."

"N-Nick. Let's go prepare!," exclaimed Maya.

* * *

 **A/N: And with that, I'm ready to start writing the finale to the DL-6 arc. I hope you all enjoy!**

 **Cheers,**

 **Muhammad S.**


	10. Chapter 9: The DL-6 incident

**A/N: Hello everyone! Welcome back to this story! Today we wrap up the DL-6 arc! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

The preparations for the journey were prepared. Edgeworth had spent the entire period of his removal from knighthood shining his armor. He wore it here and had saddled upon his grand horse, preparing for the long journey that had awaited the group.

Phoenix had prepared his luggage and everything he needed for the trip. His sheathed weapon sat on his holster, preparing for whatever may come. Maya had suited up in her regular clothing, with a few slight changes. Where her exposed long legs would be, there were large plates of metal armor.

von Karma had been wearing a golden suit of armor with several jewels encrusted across the base of his armor.

"Are you all ready?," exclaimed Phoenix. The group responded positively. Their horses began to trot across the plains of Japanifornia.

"Do we know where that man could've fled to?," questioned Phoenix.

"There are sightings of him from the city of Carmathen," spoke von Karma's menacing voice ",We journey there and attempt to find more information."

"Carmathen!," said Phoenix, baffled ",That's the furthest I've ever had to travel!"

"Luckily, it's on the edge of the grand ocean," spoke Edgeworth ",If we travel as fast as possible, we may be able to prevent his escape."

"Let us depart!," exclaimed Phoenix. The group rode off to accomplish their duty.

* * *

"W-Wright," spoke Edgeworth ",I-I-I'm remembering something from DL-6. A recurring dream."

"Edgeworth? What is it?"

"It's where we're being attacked by the strange force at DL-6 and in my attempt to attack it I throw a dagger and fall unconscious. I hear a terrible scream before I fall unconscious."

"Edgeworth? You don't think?"

"Wr-Wright, I-I-I can't be certain of anything," said Edgeworth.

"S-s-Sir Edgeworth," spoke Maya, in a caring tone.

"Let's just finish our journey," spoke Edgeworth, clearly conflicted ",I-I need more time to ponder on th-this."

"Maya? Any luck with your powers?," questioned Phoenix ",Can you do it? Can you use any magic?"

"I-I-I can't do much, Nick! I-I feel so useless! I'm failing at accomplishing this basic task!," exclaimed Maya ",I can only make a small flicker of light! Light is the easiest form of magic, and yet I can't even do anything with it!"

"M-Maya," spoke Phoenix, concerned for his younger friend.

"Nick, let's just hurry up," said Maya ",We need to finish our task." At that moment, a large explosion was heard from within a nearby forest. Within moments, a large portion of the woodlands was ablaze. The group began to ride off to assist, when von Karma stopped them.

"Waste of time. We are here for one objective. Anything else, is meaningless!," exclaimed von Karma. The rest of the knights ignored him and began to ride into the shrubbery. von Karma sat on his horse, sighing.

When they entered the forest, they saw a red headed girl standing with her back against a tree, horrified at what she was seeing. In front of her, a man wearing a long, black surcoat stood, holding a long katana. They were both facing a large flame. Emerging from the center of it, a woman held her hands out and suddenly the flames dissipated.

"Well Simon? How did this look this ti-," spoke the woman ",Oh! Are these knights!"

"What! What just happened?," questioned Phoenix.

"O-oh. I'm currently studying several different forms of magic and I recently began work on creating dragons. They've been extinct for several hundred years, and I wished to bring them back," said the woman ",Oh! I'm Metis Cykes, this is my understudy who is training to become a knight, Simon Blackquill and over there is my daughter, Athena Cykes."

"Pleased to meet you!," said Maya.

"Ha! Reviving the dragons is impossible," spoke von Karma, who was approaching from behind.

"My last experiment went fairly well. I was able to sustain a dragon for several minutes. This resulted in an explosion. Ultimately, it was his flames that ended him. Still, I'm experimenting."

"Hmph," said von Karma ",As 'interesting' as this is, I suggest we leave to go and hunt our prey. NOW!"

"Very well," said Phoenix.

"Farewell!," exclaimed Metis.

"They're strange ones, aren't they?," said Simon.

"They are knights. They are the pride and joy of our kingdom. And we know how relations with Khura'in are roughening. They'll be needed more than ever soon enough."

"Mommy! I like knights!," chirped the voice of five year old Athena Cykes.

"Haha. Then may be in a few years you can become one."

* * *

"If you continue to waste our time like that, Sir Wright, then I'm afraid that we won't be able to arrive at our destination within a two days," spoke von Karma.

"Someone could have been in danger!," exclaimed Phoenix.

"Does that even matter? We were given an assignment and we shall do it... perfectly," spoke von Karma.

"But our job is to protect the peo-."

"Our job is to do what is assigned to us perfectly! Nothing more!," exclaimed von Karma ",Your ideology is one of a bygone age."

"That's enough! No more debate about ideologies and other nonsense! Our purpose right now is the old man!," exclaimed Edgeworth.

"Edgeworth...," said Phoenix. The group continued to traverse through the lands of Japanifornia.

* * *

"How could the old man travel so far in just a few mere hours!," exclaimed Phoenix.

"There's only one explanation. Forbidden Dark magic," said Edgeworth ",One of the few magics currently marked as forbidden. Performing this magic will cost you your life."

"What is it?... ," spoke Phoenix.

"It's a form of magic that grants incredible power to an individual temporarily," said Edgeworth ",It's never permissible. Only if it's available in a life threatening situation."

"Even if it's available, someone is bound to be executed through torture, regardless of if it was life threatening," said von Karma ",To use it, you need an incantation and a potion. Simply making the potion is unforgivable, let alone using it."

"Our neighboring kingdoms have very different opinions on this magic," said Edgeworth.

"It allows you to travel between two incredibly distant locations in a matter of minutes," explained Phoenix.

"It can grant a user incredible magic," said von Karma ",I have never witnessed it. It grants the user enough magic to conquer an entire army."

"Wright. Remember in our younger days how we learned of the Massacre of Agarian," said Edgeworth ",This is what caused that. This is also what deemed this magic unforgivable."

"B-but! The Massacre of Agarian was a terrible tragedy! It claimed the lives of every member of both the Japanifornian and Khura'inese armies during the war several hundred years ago. You can't tell me that the reason the armies were wiped out was because of this horrid magic!"

"This magic does have limitations," said Edgeworth ",It must be preserved. To use it all at once would only cause a large blast and would result in the user losing their consciousness. If you don't use it, you can preserve it for multiple days. This can prevent death from coming to you during those few days."

"It appears as though our target decided to use it all at once," spoke von Karma ",Maybe that is how he managed to flee. He cannot use it again. It takes all of one's energy to enter the state. For him to rebuild all his energy, he will need several weeks."

"Then we must hurry!," exclaimed Phoenix.

* * *

After several days of travel, Edgeworth has never looked worse. His eyes were bloodshot from a lack of sleep. von Karma gazed into the distance menacingly, as though trying to frighten it. Phoenix wouldn't blame the distance for fearing von Karma."

"We have about an hour of travel remaining," said von Karma ",Remember, we need to be at our best. We have confirmed he is a magic user."

"Oh. If only I could still do something," said Maya.

"Witch girl, are you any good with a sword?," questioned von Karma.

"Not at the level of a knight," said Maya.

"Then you're useless," spoke von Karma.

"ENOUGH!," exclaimed Phoenix ",von Karma! That's enough of your insulting."

"Nick. There's a nearby waterfall. Maybe if I can stay there and tap into the element, maybe I'll be able to be a little useful."

"Maya..."

"I'll be back with you later!," exclaimed Maya. She had rode off on her horse and the rest of the group continued towards their destination.

"Wright... I'm sorry, but she can't worry about her self image if she doesn't have her life," said Edgeworth ",Give her time."

"You of all people are giving me people advice, Edgeworth."

"Hmph. She was useless, so we disposed of her," said von Karma.

"Grrrr." Phoenix had an unmatched anger towards the veteran knight.

* * *

After they had arrived at Carmathen, they began to search the perimeter.

"We've been traveling for several days," said a Edgeworth ",It's very possible that he fled."

"That's enough!," exclaimed a voice.

"Y-you!" The old man had stepped out.

"A-a-are you Yogi!?" Edgeworth's voice was filled with emotion.

"Yes. I got revenge on Hammond and now... I'll get my revenge on you!" Yogi flew in the air, and launched a pillar of flame in Edgeworth's direction. Edgeworth attempted to use his armor to protect himself, but he was launched backwards. Phoenix charged at the man from the side and jumped up in an attempt to knock the man down. The man pulled a wave of water from the ocean behind him, and concentrated it on Phoenix. Phoenix placed his blade in front of him, which deflected a good portion of water, but the man froze the water and tightened his grip on Phoenix's blade.

His hand glowed purple, and he held his hand out at Phoenix. A purple blast enveloped Phoenix and before long, Phoenix had been knocked far back against a tree. Von Karma drew his weapon and launched himself in the air, before taking three swings at the old man, who deflected all the swings. Von Karma landed on his feet and drew a bow. He immediately fired several shots, one of which stuck in Yogi's right arm.

Yogi fell to the ground, and Edgeworth drew his blade and swung it into the other man. Yogi deflected the blade with a purple blast. Using a purple light of magic, he formed a sword which immediately consolidated into a very powerful weapon. He swung the weapon with seeming ease at Edgeworth, who parried with his own weapon. Interlocked in the dance of battle, the two victims of DL-6 swung their blades at each other with precision and striking accuracy.

Phoenix attempted to swing his own blade down at Yogi, but was parried and knocked back again. Von Karma attempted to sweep at Yogi's feet with his blade, but Yogi blasted the veteran knight back. Yogi dissipated his blade and concentrated a large blast at Edgeworth, which knocked him to the ground.

"I'm afraid it's over, Edgeworth!," exclaimed Yogi ",Now then... Join your faatheeerrrr!"

"Edgeworth!," exclaimed Phoenix. At that moment, a large gust of wind flew into Yogi. The man went flying backwards towards the ocean behind him. He regained his footing and caught a glimpse of what had knocked him down.

"M-Maya!," exclaimed Phoenix.

"Nick! I-I was only able to make some wind. My other abilities are completely locked. Do you have a plan?," exclaimed Maya.

"I-I will come up with one," spoke Edgeworth. Within moments the entire room was on his logical chessboard and his mind began to spin into action with the ability of the Edgeworth's noble family.

"Now then. We only have access to Madame Fey's wind ability against that man. The only other thing we have is our generic weapons. If she used wind to propel us forward, that man would blast us back. We need to overwhelm that man. Von Karma and I could attempt to charge at him while Madame Fey blasts her wind at that man. Then Wright could deliver the final blow, killing the man. That's the plan!"

Edgeworth laid his plan out for the others and they prepared. Edgeworth and von Karma charged the man and he responded by consolidating a sword again and parrying both of the warriors' swipes. Maya quickly blasted a gust of wind concentrated on the older man. Phoenix began to run at the man while holding his sword.

"This is the end," mumbled Phoenix. He swung his sword and the blade struck true. The man had fallen to the ground, gone from the world.

* * *

The group began to return back to the capitol city. They traversed through the treacherous lands, one location very near to the DL-6's resting place.

"Sir v-von Karma. I wish to confess a recurring dream of mine."

"What is it, Edgeworth?" von Karma seemed to be eager to hear what Edgeworth had to say. So Edgeworth explained the dream that he had to von Karma.

"Y-YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DL-6!" von Karma was enraged. He drew his blade and attempted to end Edgeworth's life.

"W-wait!," exclaimed Phoenix, drawing his own blade and parrying von Karma's strike.

"Can you give a better explanation for DL-6!," exclaimed von Karma.

"What if the true murderer was the person who was attacking them!"

"Hmph." Von Karma kept swinging at Edgeworth, all of the strikes blocked by Phoenix.

"Edgeworth threw a dagger. What if that dagger hit the real killer!" Phoenix swung with all his force at von Karma, who parried the blow.

"Then that person must've been someone who was on a nearby mission then!" Von Karma's blows we're perfectly timed against Phoenix's sloppy parries.

"The only one who could've been on a mission in the vicinity at that time was...," said Edgeworth ",... No! I-it can't be!"

"Sir Edgeworth?," questioned Maya.

"It was... von Karma!," exclaimed Edgeworth.

"What!," exclaimed Phoenix, swinging his blade at von Karma.

"I couldn't have killed Gregory Edgeworth. I don't have any form of scar on my shoulder. An enchanted dagger leaves a permanent scar."

"Not even the best of healing magics can heal that kind of scar," said Edgeworth ",It can't be possible."

"(If von Karma is truly without magic, it is impossible. But what kind of magic can bypass enchanted dagg-...) WHAAAAAAAAT!"

"Hmph. You seem to have come to something, Sir Wright." Phoenix swung his blade down at von Karma, who parried.

"Djinn!," exclaimed Phoenix ",A Djinn isn't affected by enchanted daggers! Every other creature is! It's the only explanation! Von Karma, let us test it!" Phoenix swung his sword and the blade simply fazed through von Karma's left shoulder, but the difference was that the blade was glowing with an incredibly bright heat.

"Aaaaaagh!," cried von Karma. A dark aura began to emanate from the tear of his clothing ",

N-No!" A large purple blast came crashing down at Phoenix, who couldn't do anything in defense of himself. He went flying far back.

"Yoooouuu! You killed my father!," exclaimed Edgeworth, drawing his own blade.

"Hmph. Yes Edgeworth. That man made a mockery of me! He succeeded in a mission where I failed! And you! You caused this permanent pain in my shoulder!"

"How did you disguise yourself as a human for all these years! Does anyone else know?"

"The only one who knew was my late wife," said von Karma. He dived at Edgeworth and swung his blade in a frenzy of motion that Edgeworth couldn't mimic. He could only hold his blade up and hope that none of von Karma's strikes struck true. Maya attempted to blast a large wind blast at von Karma, which merely knocked the man backwards. The trio regrouped.

"It appears as though the only way to defeat our enemy is to drain his power completely," said Edgeworth ",If our blades cut through him, his magic will all fade out of there and once he is out of it, he is gone."

"Then let us go with our swords," said Phoenix. The two young knights charged the Djinn in disguise. He fired several blast of fire at the knights, who continued running in that direction, while dodging his well placed blasts of fire. Maya used her wind to lift the two knights towards the now floating von Karma. He drew his blade and was in a full frenzy of motion.

Phoenix attempted to sweep his feet, while Edgeworth attempted to strike his chest. He parried Phoenix's weapon and ducked. Edgeworth's weapon merely scratched the side of his face. A large hole appeared and a large amount of his magic started to flow out of the hole. But that didn't stop any of the fighters. They all continued through the battle, hoping to strike their opponent.

Phoenix and Edgeworth struck him on his shoulder, which was now fully leaking an aura of strange magic. Von Karma cried in pain. Taking advantage of this, Phoenix and Edgeworth turned to stab him again. Phoenix drove the blade through the middle of the now weak Djinn. His magic was rapidly draining.

"I-I... DAMN YOU EEEEEDDDDDGEEEEWWWWOOOOORRRRTTHHH! I-I'll bury you with my bare hands! Death! Death!" The remnant of von Karma dissipated as the last of the purple aura exited his body, ending von Karma.

* * *

"Papa was a WHAAAAT!," cried Franziska after Edgeworth had given her the news about her father.

"I'm sorry Franziska," said Edgeworth. Franziska's sadness was very hard to deal with.

"He never told us? After all of this time?," said Franziska, tears flowing down her cheeks.

"No... he didn't."

* * *

"In the name of Queen Lana Skye, we hereby reinstate Miles Edgeworth as an honorable knight working for justice in the Kingdom of Japanifornia!" The ceremony had finished and Edgeworth had been reinstated to his position of knight.

"Nick. I've made a decision. I want to return to Kurain and continue to train."

"Why?," questioned Phoenix.

"I want to be useful to you. I-I-I will be back. I promise, Nick."

"Goodbye Maya."

* * *

"D-Dammit! What should I do! Uggghhh!" Miles Edgeworth's voice was plagued with peril and emotion. He had been reinstated, yet he had no beliefs or morals to go by any more.

"I will wait for the right moment to return. But as of now..."

 **Honorable Knight Miles Edgeworth Chooses Death**

* * *

 **A/N: An there it is! There is the first major arc of "The Kingdom of Japanifornia!" For reference, that potion I was mentioning doesn't have a name as of yet. Anyways, I hope you all have enjoyed the series so far!**

 **Cheers,**

 **Muhammad S.**


	11. Chapter 10: Friendship

**A/N: Here we go, everyone! The trio of friends, Edgeworth, Larry, and Phoenix. Short chapter to fill time while I outline the JFA arc. I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

The young Larry Butz and Phoenix Wright were walking through the town. The capitol of Japanifornia had always been their home.

"Nick! This is awesome!," exclaimed the anticipated voice of Larry.

"We finally have enough money to watch the Signal Samurai stage show!," exclaimed Phoenix.

"For a stage show? Oooh! Hahaha! It must be a lot!" A man walked out of the shadows, holding a dagger.

"Aaaaah!"

"Give me the money. Now!"

"Nick! Help!," exclaimed Larry.

"I think you should stop attacking poor innocent children for money," spoke another voice. From the shadows, the voice of Miles Edgeworth rang out. He held a small sword of his own.

"Ha! Put down your toy sword, boy!" Edgeworth lifted his blade and swung at the man. With difficulty, the man parried.

"Oof! This is not worth it!" The man fled from the trio. Edgeworth turned to face the other two.

"That was incredible!," exclaimed Phoenix ",I was in absolute awe!"

"Hmph. I don't know if you know, but I am your classmate. We are currently under the same instructor."

"Hey Edgey!"

"E-Edgey?," questioned the budding knight.

"Why don't you come see the Signal Samurai stage show with us?," said Larry ",It might take us a little longer to save up money, but we'll gladly let you come with us!"

"Alright then, I shall go and watch it with you. But, for now I must attend to my studies. I wish to be like father."

"Your father?"

"He's an Attornial knight."

"Oh, you want to be a knight! That explains how you defeated that creepy man!"

"Yes. Now, I shall be returning home. I will see you tomorrow, classmates."

"Over time, Edgeworth and Larry became my closest friends. We were all very close throughout those several months. We managed to go to the stage show together. During the winter, he went on a mission with his father, and we never saw him again."

"Several years passed, and we were long forgotten by Edgeworth. It was only in a message from a courier that I saw him again."


	12. Chapter 11: Reunion

**A/N: Hello everyone! Welcome back to "The Kingdom of Japanifornia!" Here we are starting the JFA arc and I have a very interesting outline. Something to add, several aspects from this story are derived from Middle Eastern Culture. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the Kingdom of Japanifornia!**

* * *

Phoenix Wright was faced with an enlarged image of a strange, bearded man. He was the one who assigned the missions. He was the one who judged what mission should go to whom. The Judge was the one in power when it came to the assignments of a knight.

"Aaargh! How did I get into this mess!?" The rookie knight was overwhelmed with anxiety.

"That's far enough! You can't hide forever, Sir Wright!" The bearded one held his sword above his head. Phoenix was anticipating a strike. He reached to pull out his sword only to realize it missing. He looked up pleadingly at the old knight.

"B-but from what! I've always upheld my duty with honor!," the young knight argued, hoping to spare himself from the fate that would seemingly end him.

"SILENCE! You are no longer worthy of your title!" The Judge swung his sword down with a venom that caused Phoenix to awake from his dream.

"Ugh..." He sat up and assessed his situation. He was in his abode. This abode that he had received for being a knight. This room was his livelihood. It was his base of operations. It was where he had sat with his dear friend who possessed magical abilities.

"Alright. I'm going to travel to the knight's courtyard and check the board for available missions," thought Phoenix. He followed his morning routine and arrived downstairs in the courtyard. He walked past the group of knights who were sloshing around beer in their goblets, making jokes, and laughing drunkenly.

He entered the restaurant where he traditionally ate and sat at the counter. The server nodded and brought Phoenix his usual meal. Chicken and a bowl of noodles.

"That one's one of the best bowl of noodles out there. We've had that since our old chef retired and Eldoon took his place. That man is a master of cooking."

"Thank you." Phoenix began to indulge himself in his salty bowl of noodles. He quickly finished, tossed a few coins, and returned to the courtyard of the knights. He walked towards the board where the requests were posted. He scanned the papers, before walking away from the courtyard and walking through the town.

He looped around and returned to his living quarters. It was not long before he heard a knock on his door. The young knight scurried to open the door. He was faced with a man that had an air of familiarity to him.

"Aaah! It's been three seconds since I knocked! It took you that long to answer the door!" Then it clicked with Phoenix.

"Y-you're Turner Grey! The healer that was expelled from his position a year ago!"

"Yes. Oh yes..." The man mused on the chain of events that lead to his expulsion from his craft.

"Why were you expelled?," questioned Phoenix.

"My student let a dozen men and women die! She made some horrible mistakes and failed. If she hadn't gone and died after that, I would've had her expelled instead. But no, she died and I took the fall!" Grey was boiling with rage as he recalled the horrible incident.

"So, why do you need me?," questioned Phoenix.

"Simple, I'm going to go to a village known as 'Kurain' to get someone to call back that nurse's spirit for communication."

"D-did you say Kurain?!"

"Yes, the person who was to do the channeling, Maya Fey, had the condition of you being present. I'm going to have the nurse claim that the whole incident was her fault and I will be reinstated as a healer!"

"Very well. I will travel with you." Phoenix was bedazzled at the prospect of seeing his dear friend once more.

"Good! Because I am leaving now!," exclaimed the disgraced healer, startling the young knight.

"N-NOW?" The inexperienced knight was shocked that a citizen of their kingdom could give them no time for preparation.

"Yes."

"I need some time to prepare." Phoenix's voice was serious.

"Very well. Meet me at the opening to your horse stables at the 5th hour of the night." The man's voice was serious, yet Phoenix was finding it hard to take the man seriously.

"I will see you then." Phoenix closed the door and began to make preparations for his journey with haste.

* * *

Phoenix arrived at the stables at the appointed time and met the healer at the stables. Phoenix used his sword as the key to open the stables. He retrieved his ebony horse which he inherited from his late mentor.

"Here Charlie," Phoenix beckoned. Grey hoisted himself onto his horse, and turned towards the young knight.

"Now then, Sir Wright?" Phoenix nodded and the two were about to leave, yet a voice halted them.

"Hmph. Phoenix Wright. This is considered a knight's mission. As such, a prosecutorial knight will need to accompany you," a female voice spoke from the shadows ", I will be the one to take up this challenge!" The woman stepped into the light to reveal a silver haired woman wearing a suit of armor that had several jewels lining the borders of her armor plates.

"Who are you?," questioned Phoenix.

"You will find out in due time who I am." The woman mounted her house and began to set out with them. The group began to travel to arrive at Kurain for the doctor's request.

* * *

"Wh-what is that?" The trio faced a strange beast. Saliva was dripping from it's mouth and it's eyes were sparkling with confidence. Phoenix lunged at it, stabbing at it in many different ways.

"A Djaal. Creatures created by Djinn. I shall deal with it," the woman explained. She drew her blade that Phoenix swore was familiar. She struck the creature once with the blade. The blade lit up a bright silver color. The creature instantly dissolved and it's remnants were pulled into the blade. The blade's glow faded and the woman sheathed her blade.

"H-how did you do that?," questioned a shocked Phoenix.

"We all have our own abilities. Abilities that strengthen ourselves."

* * *

"We're nearly there," said Grey ",We're nearly at Kurain. I will enter and make my deal. Oh, and you can see the Madame Fey you wanted to see."

"Very well," said Phoenix. The group rode with speed and arrived at the village they travelled for. Phoenix dismounted his horse and tied Charlie to a post near the entrance. The group stepped into the village of Phoenix's dear friend. Then, a familiar voice was heard...

"Niiiiiick!" Maya Fey ran up to the young knight and proceeded to hug him. (Insert that moment here)

"Maya! It's been a while!" Both were ecstatic about being able to meet once more.

"So Nick, what'd I miss?"

"Nothing much. I haven't really done much. I only did one mission..."

"I heard! I read about it in a report from the courier. It was a very important event! You helped the queen on a mission, and there was a whole incident! The queen was removed and a new king was appointed."

"Well, how have you been?," questioned Phoenix.

"Training. I've been training day in day out! I can't wait to show you the fruits of my training."

"Speaking of which," spoke Grey, from behind them ",Can we begin our session!"

"Yes. Let us go. I'll see you around, Nick!" Grey and Maya walked into a small chamber and closed the door.

"So, who are you?," questioned Phoenix.

"Someone here for revenge. Phoenix Wright! I will melt you as the blacksmith melts his metal!"

"Well, when blacksmiths melt their metal they turn it into something stronger so..." The woman drew her blade and from the end of the blade, a blue colored whip materialized and cracked against Phoenix.

"Aaagh!," cried Phoenix ",Why would you do that?"

"Excuse me... who are you?," questioned a small voice. A little girl stepped towards the young knights. She had brown hair that appeared to be shaped similar to a pretzel, a fine Japanifornian dish. The fornians in the south were responsible for that.

"Pearl! Come here!" A woman with gravity defying hair spoke, directing the little girl inside.

"I apologize for that," spoke the woman ",I'm Morgan Fey, Mystic Maya's aunt."

"I'm Phoenix Wright. A knight."

"And you are?," questioned Morgan, towards the silver haired warrior.

"I do not know," said Phoenix, expressing his bewilderment.

"Fine then. I'll introduce myself to you. I am... Franziska von Karma!," exclaimed the silver haired warrior, causing much shock to the young knight.

"v-v-von Karma! So y-you're!"

"Manfred von Karma's daughter," spoke Franziska ",And I am here for revenge!" She emphasized her point by extending her arm in the direction of the young knight.

"So... if you're the daughter of a Djinn, does that make you a Djinn?," questioned Phoenix.

"My mother was human and my father was Djinn. This makes me a perfect warrior!"

"I... don't follow your logic." Franziska responded by using her immaterial whip to teach the young knight a lesson.

"I am a bridge between the two. I am the perfect combination of Djinn and man. This is where magic came from, and I possess the most pure and direct magic of anyone in these lands!" Phoenix could've sworn he saw a flicker of sadness in her eyes when she mentioned Djinn.

"AAAGH! A large purple blast erupted into the road at that moment."

"The chamber! MAYA!" Phoenix rushed to the room and saw a woman holding a magical blade covered with blood. On the floor, Maya was down, weak. Beside her, Turner Grey lie dead. The woman attempted to plunge her blade into Maya.

"NO!" Phoenix ran forward and struck the woman's blade, knocking her blade to the side, preventing it from entering an unconscious Maya's body. Phoenix swung his blade again at the woman, who dodged and ran. Franziska formed her weapon into a golden whip and attempted to knock the woman down to prevent her from fleeing. But, the woman was out of her range. The group ran to catch the woman, but she conjured a large purple blast, preventing them from accessing the other section of the road.

By the time the smoke faded, a silhouette was only barely visible in the distance. The group entered the chamber to check on Maya.

"Fey! Wake up!" Franziska pointed her blade at the witch who was the same age as her.

"Don't!," exclaimed Phoenix, attempting to protect his younger friend. The young witch woke up to the face of the knights.

"I wasn't going to harm her. Now then, I believe we know who killed Grey. It was you, Fey!"

"B-but what about that woman!"

"Hmph. Until she is caught, she doesn't technically exist. That makes Fey the one who killed Grey. That is the truth, now."

"Y-you! You're no better than your father!," accused Phoenix. The heir of the von Karma name barely flinched, but instead wore a wide, smug grin.

"Wrong. I never murdered an honorable knight."

"Your methods are no better than his! You might as well be your father's reincarnation! I wouldn't be surprised if he's possessing you to take vengeance!" At that, Franziska kicked the young knight to the ground.

"Nick. Who's this?," questioned Maya ",Why is she angry at you and I?"

"This is... Franziska von Karma."

"What! You're the daughter of Manfred von Karma!," exclaimed Maya, baffled.

"Hmph. It appears you caught on. Now, I will prove to you all how perfection works! Maya Fey! You will surrender the Order of the Prosecutorial Knights, or you will perish!" Phoenix was baffled.

"Wh-why!"

"Because I believe that my revenge is long overdue, Phoenix Wright!"

"I'm afraid that will not be happening. I shall not condone your methods for revenge!" Franziska drew her weapon.

"Do you truly believe that you can beat me in a fight? I, the perfect Franziska von Karma, a magic user trained in the arts of sword fighting, wielding a blade filled to the brim with a Djinn's energy!"

"Your 'revenge' won't be successful."

"Hold It!," exclaimed a young voice. The small child from earlier walked. She faced the group wearing a determined face.

"P-Pearly? What is it?," questioned Maya.

"Mystic Maya... show him the Magatama's power!"

"What?" Phoenix was confused as to what the young girl meant.

"Will it even work?," questioned Maya, wondering if the magic could work.

"I saw the Mark of the Magatama on his handle! S-Sir Nick, c-can I show you how it works?"

"What is this foolishly foolish fool's attempt at escaping the foolishly foolish situation he has placed himself in?" Franziska's enunciation was perfect and she never stuttered.

"She uses 'fool' too many times," spoke an exasperated Maya.

"If you hold Mystic Maya's Magatama with you in your pocket or some other place you can get to it easily, you can touch it and connect it to your blade. Try it." Phoenix placed his hand on the small jewel, and his sword began to glow instantaneously.

"H-how?"

"It seems my sis thought very far ahead."

"What?"

"Only a member of the Fey family can enchant a blade with the power of the Magatama. Me and Pearly didn't do it, and I doubt my aunt or long lost mother did it either. It had to be her!"

"What is this! The power of the Feys! Ha! It is no match for the power of the von Karma!"

"We are both knights for the same leaders! I suggest you be less rash and let us focus on tracking that woman," offered Phoenix.

"Phoenix Wright. This will be my revenge!" Franziska swung her blade at the young knight with a striking precision. Franziska and Phoenix's blade both started glowing silver and light blue respectively. Suddenly, Phoenix felt as though his blade was weightless. With this, he could swing his blade with an unthinkable speed. He swung down at the younger knight who parried the blow.

Franziska conjured from her blade a silver colored whip that Phoenix attempted to dodge and parry, but failed and went flying backwards. Phoenix recovered, and placed his hand on the gem in his pocket which emanated a faint glow. He pointed his sword directly at Franziska.

"Remember, that gem allows you to use a large variety of magics," the youngest Fey commented. Phoenix placed his hand on the gem and thought of a roaring flame. Phoenix lifted his blade and pointed it at the young von Karma. Within an instant, Phoenix's blade ignited in flame for a moment before fading into sparks. Franziska stared at the blade, momentarily shocked, before charging the older knight.

The blades clashed violently, creating large blasts of light. One of the resulting blasts made contact with Franziska, and knocked her backwards. She ripped her blade into the dirt road, attempting to prevent her from knocking into the rock wall behind her. The dirt was torn from the ground and ripped out. Her efforts to halt her motion were in vain, as she slammed into the wall behind her and fell down.

The glow on Phoenix's sword began to fade. Phoenix pulled the gem out of his pocket to reveal it to no longer hold any glow.

"Careful, Sir Nick. You have never used magic in your life. You can't use too much of it. You have to preserve it. If you want to be able to use fire or any complex magics from the Magatama, you're going to have to hone your skills. It will take time, you just need to improve your skills. Also, the Magatama has one more abilit-."

"Enough!," exclaimed the frustrated silver haired warrior ",Fine! I will hunt down that woman with you, foolish fool!"

"Yes!," exclaimed Maya.

"Remember, Sir Nick. Don't overuse the power of the Magatama. I will recharge it for you." The youngest Fey placed the jewel in her hands and it immediately began to glow with the same faint glow as always. The young knight retrieved the gem and slid it into his pocket.

"Grr. Fine then, Phoenix Wright!" The group of young warriors rode to hunt the mysterious woman. With that, the silver haired warrior's attempt at revenge begun.

* * *

 **A/N: With that, the first chapter of the JFA arc is complete! I hope you all enjoyed! I may update next week, but that depends on how much time I have.**

 **Cheers,**

 **Muhammad Sban.**


	13. Chapter 12: Betrayal

**A/N: Here we are! The Kingdom of Japanifornia Chapter 12! I hope you all enjoy today's chapter! Cheers!**

* * *

The group of knights rode to hunt their prey.

"Phoenix Wright. How do you plan to hunt her. We have received no reports, nor have we had time to inform the citizens of this incident." Franziska spoke with a clear animosity directed at Phoenix. Her goal was to be a nuisance to the young knight to achieve a form of dominance over him to draw out his pain.

"I-I-I hadn't thought of that," stuttered Phoenix ",I was hoping we'd receive a report from the knight's courier."

"Well, if you fail to locate this woman, then I'm afraid Ms. Fey will be spending the rest of her days in the Kingdom's dungeon. Your mentor wouldn't be happy with that now, would she?," Franziska taunted in hopes of angering the young knight. By bringing up his mentor's final wish and threatening to crush it, she managed to drive Phoenix into a deep rage.

"Grrr. DAMN YOU VOON KAAAARRRMAAAA!," exclaimed Phoenix, seething with anger. He glared at the smug silver haired warrior who was wearing a grin on her face as she stared down at the blue suited knight

"Nick... Calm down. Even if she does get her revenge, it won't bring her father back!," exclaimed Maya, in hopes of trying to calm him down.

"Hmph. You think this has been about my father? He was weak. So he fell. He built himself up on lies and deception. He built himself up on a facade. He disguised himself and faked humanity. I am different. I built myself up on power and strength. He was imperfect, so he fell." She stared at the ground with sorrow as she reminisced on her deceased father.

"Your father was a horrible man, but how could you say that about your own father!?," questioned Maya, shocked at what Franziska was saying. Franziska smirked, much to Maya's shock.

"He was a truly despicable person. I must agree with you. He was...a terrible person." Her voice was clear and she didn't seem to express any sorrows.

"Then... answer me this. If you no longer feel for your father, why do you wish to get your revenge on me?"

"Hmph. It's simple, truly. I wish to avenge... Miles Edgeworth!"

"S-S-Sir Edgeworth!" Maya was in shock at the mention of the opposing knight on most of their missions.

"Sir... Eh-Ji-Worth?," questioned Pearl, attempting to pronounce the name of the knight.

"Miles Edgeworth. He left behind the message of, 'Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth Chooses Death!' But I know that isn't right. Miles Edgeworth wouldn't choose death! He's fled to some far off land!" Phoenix could hear it clearly, unquestionably. There it was, an overwhelming emotion of sadness in her voice.

"He might as well be dead. He is a coward. He hid behind a perfect reputation with perfect missions. In the end, when that came crashing down, he had to flee." The young knight spoke with a venom in his voice.

"N-Nick?" The young witch stared at her sister's mentee with worry in her eyes.

"It doesn't matter now. You and him... You're all no better than your father! You all are disgusting knights who attempt to maliciously lie and cheat to manipulate missions!"

"Sir Nick...," spoke the youngest Fey, attempting to comfort the sharp haired knight.

"Heh. Let's just finish our task." The group continued along their journey to complete their task.E

* * *

"What is that?," questioned Phoenix, staring at the bright colored creature that stood before them. It appeared very similar to a Djaal, except it's teeth were sharper than swords and it's legs were larger than a Djaal.

"That... I believe is our prey's fatal mistake," spoke Franziska ",To send a being of magic is too send a specimen for a tracking spell."

"I will call for a tracker at once!," exclaimed Phoenix.

"No. I shall perform the tracking spell," offered Maya ",It's time to show you what I've learned!"

"Maya? If you're that confident, then sure." The young knight flashed a gentle smile that made Maya blush.

"Wait. We need to subdue this creature. We need to strike it non-fatally. If we end up striking it in the wrong location, then it shall fade and it's value will become null," explained Franziska.

"Well, where are the correct locations to strike?," questioned Phoenix.

"It's not that simple, Phoenix Wright!," exclaimed Franziska. She leapt into the air and struck the strange being in the shoulder. The being let out a ghastly roar before slapping Franziska out of the air and knocking her back against a nearby tree. She let out a short cry of pain.

"Sir Nick! Now's your chance to use the Magatama! Mystic Maya is going to use the tracking spell, which requires a great deal of magic, so she can't use her magic here, yet I can help you!" Phoenix's sword began to glow a very faint light color, rendering his sword weightless. Pearl raised her hands. Suddenly, she launched Phoenix up in the air near the shoulder of the monster. Phoenix swung his blade down at the monster.

He landed on his feet and stared up at the hideous monster as it crumbled to the ground. He immediately heard Franziska form her magic whip. She swung it and he parried, thinking it was going to hit him.

"You fool! Do you want to do battle all over again!" Franziska did the same once again, and struck the beast.

"Fey! Begin the spell! Now!" Maya scurried over to the fallen beast. She used a small vial to capture a portion of the monster's energy. She muttered an incantation and within moments the vial was ablaze. The smoke began to emit a bright purple color, signifying the magic of a Fey. The group mounted their horses and began to follow the strange purple light.

* * *

"Fey! We have been going for several hours! How on earth have we not arrived!"

"She must be quite far!"

"Or the tracking spell failed! Fey, I've never trusted family magics, and this doesn't strengthen my opinion of them!"

"Madame von Karma... You have family magic with the von Karma."

"Our magic is perfect! Unlike yours!"

"von Karma! I need you to be silent."

"How dare you try and shut me up, insolent pest!"

"Shhh. Listen, von Karma."

Phoenix's focused his mind on listening for what he believed to be footsteps. From within the bushes, a young villager walked out.

"S-Sir. A-are you a knight?," questioned the boy ",Because..." At that moment, he faded from existence. Immediately. , the women they had been hunting made herself apparent by lunging out of the thick bushes. After revealing herself from the shadows, she brought down a wave of fire that threatened to singe the group beyond recognition. They immediately jumped from their horses and drew their weapons. Maya ended the tracking spell and focused on their current predicament.

Pearl brought up dozens of small chunks of rock. With stunning accuracy, she directed them all at the woman, yet she used her magic to dissipate them. With a wave of her hand, she directed a bright red beam of magic at Pearl. Pearl raised her hand to protect herself, but it crashed down onto her, knocking her unconscious. At that moment, Morgan Fey joined the opposing young woman.

"A-aunt Morgan?," questioned Maya.

"Die!" Morgan created a golden sword that caused her hand to glow as well. She charged Maya and struck down at her. Maya parried with her own blade and the two warriors were in a frenzy of motion.

"Madame von Karma! Go help Maya! I will deal with this woman!" Franziska ran over and began to attack the infuriated aunt. Phoenix charged the woman and began to swing his sword violently. She shot a small blast of thunder at the unsuspecting knight. Phoenix figuratively jumped at the sight of this, while literally ducking to avoid the life-threatening blast. Phoenix swung his blade, and it struck true, knocking the woman backwards.

"How did that not end you!," exclaimed Phoenix in shock.

"It's called protection! Phoenix then realized her clothes were glowing a bright golden color with a symbol on her chest.

"The symbol of the Mineys!," exclaimed Phoenix ",Ini Miney!" Ini smirked before charging the young knight. Their blades clashed violently as both skilled warriors attempted to deliver a blow to each other.

"You... you're the sister of Grey's student!"

"He killed her! He might as well would have! I know he cursed her potion!" Phoenix swung down at the young woman, and she parried. Over with Morgan Fey, Franziska attempted to strike Morgan Fey with her whip. She raised a fractal shield and blocked the whip. Morgan Fey began to break a sweat.

"My aunt can't take us both. She doesn't have enough power." Morgan materialized a fire sword and charged the two, swinging the sword with seeming ease. Franziska parried her blow and struck the woman's sword. Maya's hands began to glow a bright red color, as her eyes lost all personality once portrayed in them, to reveal a bright purple void. She stared with rage at her aunt as wisps of smoke and fire rose from her eyes.

"Wh-why? Why would you betray us!? Betray Pearly!?" Morgan Fey drew her sword and faced her niece who was going through a phase known as **Ragus Feythun**.

"Ragus Feythun. I didn't think it'd be coming up. Grrr." Morgan drew her blade and began to prepare to defend herself against her enraged niece. The two lunged at each other and traded blows. Maya's fighting style was random, yet powerful, while Morgan's style was calculating, yet weak. Franziska swung her whip down at Morgan.

The woman fell down. She attempted to get up, but Maya knocked into her, sending her down. Franziska used her whip to tie the older Fey to a tree. The whip materialized into a rope and disconnected from Franziska's sword. The two went to help the other knight, who was clearly struggling.

Ini unleashed a barrage of strikes on the young knight. With difficulty, he parried them. The woman struck Phoenix's armor, knocking him backwards. She ran forward and attempted to plunge the blade into the young knight. Maya charged the young woman and knocked her back into the nearby rock formation, causing it to collapse. As a dust cloud formed, a bright red and purple color began to emit from within the dust. As it cleared, they could see the two young women duking it out.

Phoenix got up and ran to strike the failed healer's sister. His blade struck true, and before he knew it, she was on the floor in agony. She attempted to blast away her pursuers, yet it was in vain. Within moments, she had been bound by Franziska beside Morgan Fey.

"I'll get my revenge sometime soon, Phoenix Wright!" Franziska emphasized her point by pointing at the young attorney.

* * *

Morgan Fey and Ini Miney were tossed into the dungeon. Both had been bound in chains to prevent them from using any magics. Pearl Fey was horrified at seeing her mother in this state. She attempted to hide her tears, yet they were there. She trembled as she saw the horrific scene. The group of them returned to the knight's courtyard to discuss the incident.

A group of burly knights walked towards the group. "H-hey! Witch girl! We don't take kindly to you in here! So either scram, or we'll kill you!," The older knights commented.

"I refuse to allow such a thing to happen. As a knight of the Kingdom of Japanifornia, I recite the following from the laws of Japanifornia, created by the First Queen, over a century ago, Queen Victoria.., 'The Knight's Courtyard is open to all who are invited by a knight. So, if you attempt to end her life, I will have you reported and your right to be a knight, revoked!"

"Grrr! How dare you!"

"This is the sister and cousin of the former honorable knight, Mia Fey. To attempt to banish her honorable sister from the courtyard is dishonoring her memory!" The group of knights ran off from the trio, clearly defeated.

"Now then, what do we do now?," questioned Maya.

"I think... you two should stay with me for awhile. After Morgan Fey's disappearance, I think you should wait until the problems over at Kurain stabilize." At the mention of her mother, Pearl burst into tears.

"M-Mother! No! No!" Pearl cried as Maya attempted to comfort her.

"She was trying to kill me and a knight. We had to."

"B-but she was... my mother...," Pearl stuttered, her voice weary and broken. It shattered Phoenix's heart. He trembled, remembering the feeling he felt all those years back.

"So, I think you should all stay with me for a while. It would help, and I can help you, Pearls."

"Uh... Th-thanks Sir Nick!" Pearl stuttered out, still sobbing lightly.

"I think you'll both enjoy it. At the end of this moon, we can go see a traveling circus that is currently in town, and I believe you'll both love it..."

* * *

 **A/N: There we go! Reunion and Turnabout arc, completed. I feel like my writing's come a long way since the beginning of this story. Well, I will see you all next time! Cheers!**


	14. Chapter 13: A Miraculous Turnabout

**A/N: Hello Everyone! Welcome to the Berry Big Circus Arc! I hope you all enjoy this portion of** _ **The Kingdom of Japanifornia!**_ **Cheers!**

* * *

"Now, it's time for the crown jewel of the night! Our illustrious mage will perform for us! Now, hold your horses, I can assure you he is unlike all others! It is... Maximilian Galactica!"

At that moment, a cloaked figure emerged from the darkness atop of an elevated platform. He grasped his silk hat and tipped it before placing back in his head and jumping. Suddenly, he was aerial. He soared around the small room they were in, providing the audience with several smirks and winks. The audience cheered as he disappeared and the show ended.

* * *

"Th-that was amazing!," the young witch, Maya Fey was ablaze with happiness at the prospect of having seen the illustrious mage perform the miraculous flight she had just witnessed. She stared at her dear friend, the knight who stood beside her, Phoenix Wright.

"I have to say, that show culminated well. Even though I didn't truly enjoy seeing several creatures transform between figures, that flight was... interesting." The young knight's comments on the show angered the young witch as she turned and faced her elder with an indignant look.

"Oh, come on! Do you truly not enjoy anything! First the Steel Samurai stage show, now this! Nick, why not?"

"Haha! Are you two having another one of your couples spats?" The young, but talented Pearl Fey mocked of the pair.

"Oh, Pearls! I forgot you were there!" The older knight stated, following up with an apology.

"It's ok, Sir Nick. So long as you get to spend more time with your precious Mystic Maya!" Ever since the second day of them all being together, Pearls had been non-stop insisting on her opinion that Maya and Phoenix were lovers. The trio walked away from the circus and returned to their residence.

* * *

"Niiick! Can we go out to eat!" Maya looked at the young knight with what we refer to now in the modern day as 'Puppy Dog Eyes.' Phoenix caved practically immediately.

"Mystic Maya! H-how can you demand so much from him! Of course, I know he would do anything for you, but still!" Pearls smiled as she spoke, placing her hands on her face while gushing at the pair. The two blushed intensely before Phoenix attempted to break the awkward situation by speaking.

"So, Uh, let's go eat then." Phoenix lead the other two Feys out of his abode to the typical restaurant.

The two were well on their way to the restaurant, before someone placed a hand on Maya 's arm. She turned to face him, yet was met with a fist whacking into her head. She let out a scream, causing Phoenix and Pearls to turn to face the man.

"Haha! Serves you right, witch girl! The man laughed as Maya trembled in pain. Phoenix drew his sword from his sheathe and pointed it at the man, causing him to flinch.

"You just attacked a lady of our kingdom. You have just attacked the former head of the Attornial Knights's sister! I should have you sent to the dungeons!" The man took a step back, before raising his hands in the air.

"I-I-I..." His joyful face transformed into one of fear, as he stared at the young knight with pleading eyes.

"Leave. Now." The man scurried away from the pair, before Phoenix kneeled down to help Maya up from the ground. As Phoenix lifted her up, she trembled before finally standing up firm.

"I-I just don't get it. Ever since everyone has seen my mother's innocence, why are they still mad at witches?" Her lip trembled as tears began to form from the corners of her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Maya. Fifteen long years of hate doesn't go away in a day. Besides, there are still several extremists who use magic for destruction. Our job as knights is to protect those who are in need of protection and hunt those who pose a threat to our kingdom. It's simply that." Phoenix stared at the young witch with a look of optimism.

"Mystic Maya... I'll make sure that never happens, ever!" Pearl stared up at her with a look of pure determination as she lifted up her sleeve. There was a glint in her eyes as she turned to face the young knight.

"I guess I feel better. With knights like you and Mr. Edgewor-." Maya cut herself off as she remembered what Phoenix had told her of the fate of the opposing, maroon clad knight. Phoenix seemed unfazed, somewhat surprising to Maya.

"C'mon. Let's go get something to eat." He gently smiled at the young witches, before leading them to his favorite restaurant.

* * *

After the trio had enjoyed a concrete meal and returned to their lodgings, they retired to their beds for sleep and slept away the night...

The following day, the trio awoke to be met with the courier's incessant banging on the door. Phoenix reluctantly got up to open the door. He was met with the courier's familiar shouting, before receiving the letter. The courier scampered away from the room, preparing to make the long journey around the kingdom she made weekly to deliver the mail.

Phoenix opened the letter, before reading it and turning to face Maya and Pearls.

"We need to go down to the Berry Big Circus. They've requested our services. Pearls, can you manage here on your own?" Phoenix glanced at the young women, a grim look in his eyes. Maya slid into her gloves and the armor she wore along her legs. The duo began the walk through the knight's courtyard to arrive at the Berry Big Circus.

* * *

The group entered the large, speckled tent to be faced with the entire circus staring at them with solemn faces. A man wearing strange face colorings stepped forward, before speaking.

"Welcome to the Berry Big Circus. Oh, that's not right. It's just not the same without Russel." The man covered in face paint huffed with sadness, before turning to face the young knight.

"What... happened?," questioned Phoenix, staring at the man with a look of concern.

"Last night, our leader was murdered by our illustrious mage, Max Galactica." The man stared at the ground with sadness. Phoenix's facial features transformed into those of surprise.

"Th-the mage?," questioned Phoenix.

"It couldn't have been anyone else! We've already called a Prosecutorial Knight to help us out. Here she is, now!" At that moment, a silver haired warrior clad in her armor and equipped with the sword her father had once used stepped into the room, with a curtsy. Franziska von Karma extended her arm out and exclaimed...

"Phoenix Wright! It's been too long, hasn't it?" She stared at the opposing knight with confidence.

"F-Franziska!" Phoenix reeled back in shock, as he spoke the name of the influential knight who had gained a great deal of fame and infamy in the kingdom. Maya gaped for a moment, before turning to the members of the circus.

"You wish for us to hunt the mage? We shall do that!," shouted Maya. Phoenix turned to face the cast of the show they had seen the night prior. He nodded.

"Oh, thank you so much! I'm Moe, the clown!"

"Kee-Lown? What's a Kee-Lown?," questioned Maya, mispronouncing the term.

"It's actually a long story. But, my role of making jokes for the audience is what we call a clown. We created it, so it's understandable that you aren't aware of the term."

"Thank you so much for helping us honor papa! I'm Regina Berry." The woman spoke with an air of happiness.

"Oh! So you're the ringmaster's daughter. I'm uhhh, so sorry about your loss," said Phoenix, attempting to provide his condolences.

"It's fine! I know now that papa became a star in the sky, shining brighter than the best of mages!" Regina stared up with a fond smile.

"Well then, shall we depart? If it's alright with you, can I come along with you with Regina?," asked Moe.

"I-I-I want to t-t-tag a-along t-too!," shouted the trembling man from behind the clown.

"Oh come on! Make it sound more alive!" The man's puppet began to punch him repeatedly, much to his chagrin.

"This is Ben and Trilo Quist. He is our ventriloquist."

"What's a ventriloquis- Oh, it's just their names combined with a small difference." Phoenix sighed. Could they come up with any original names?

"I hate to interrupt, yet I suggest we leave. Now! If we don't make haste, then that foolishly foolish mage will be out of our reach!" The silver haired warrior had brought up a good point. The group began to walk down to the horse stables.

"So, why do you think this mage killed the ringmaster," questioned Phoenix. The terrible clown sighed, a long sigh, before speaking.

"We have no idea. Russel didn't deserve to die. From what we gathered, he was crushed by the statue of the Mage. The mage used magic to launch the statue down with incredible speeds towards Russell and... We must make haste to bring that horrendous man to justice! Sir Wright, I presume you will deliver the killing blow?"

"Wait, but his only current crime is murder, correct? If so, wouldn't that make it an _unjust_ _killing_ ," questioned Maya, staring at the knight with the barbed hair.

"Sadly, it isn't that simple. If a mage is the perpetrator of a murder, then the penalty is death, even if there was no trial."

"B-but that's! Wasn't that Vasquez a mage? Why did Sir Edgeworth say that it would be unjust?"

"We had no idea she was a mage at the time. Besides, none of us felt as though delivering a killing blow like that would be necessary. I fear that it will be pressured upon us this time." Phoenix spoke solemnly. Maya didn't respond, but instead stared down into her reflection in a puddle of water.

* * *

The group had taken their horses out and rode away. Franziska remained focused on the destination, not the journey, contrary to her other companions. _Such foolishness!_

Maya and Regina were laughing at the clown's awful and pathetic jokes. Phoenix sat there shaking his head. The ventriloquist was sitting beside them, shaking by himself.

"So, I told him... You're in deNile!" The young witch laughed, yet the joke earned no laughter from Regina.

"I've heard that so many times!" Phoenix rode forward a little, to be side by side with the silver haired warrior.

"Franziska? If you don't mind me asking, why do you care so much for Edgeworth?" questioned Phoenix, in a low voice.

"Phoenix Wright. Why do you ask? I don't have any obligation to tell you."

"B-b-but! I just want to know," the young knight said, with a complete lack of tact. Franziska sighed.

"Miles Edgeworth was brought into our family when I was 2 years of age. As such, he is my little brother. He seemed to be quite protective of me when I was younger... but he was always leaving me to walk in his shadow!" Franziska lamented ",So, if I can make you feel pain, I can move past his shadow!" Phoenix sighed.

"So, you want me to lose my close friends just you can merely gloat over your sibling!" Phoenix turned forward.

"Honestly Phoenix Wright, you paint it to be pathetic. What's the harm in glory, when in truth the world is devoid of it. The world treats glory as an unnecessary and repugnant emotion, when in reality it is in human nature. Besides, I haven't done anything truly tinted towards glory. I haven't done anything breaking our law."

"F-Franziska, I-I." Phoenix struggled to come up with a response. He held his tongue, to which Franziska smirked.

"Why would I agree to come on this mission when you have no personal stakes on it. Think about it, Phoenix Wright. My father was built on glory. I am built on honor. I still do hold onto glory, even though I am not built upon it. What's the point of denying all semblance of glory in one's personality?" Franziska turned to face the young knight.

"But that's not how it is! I know you have a personal stake in this! Otherwise, why else would you come!"

"Oh. I see how it is, Phoenix Wright. Let me ask you then. What is YOUR personal stake."

"I-I don't have one!" denied Phoenix.

"Objection!"

"Why do you claim that I must have one, then? It's with certain that you must have a purpose in this!" Franziska pointed her finger. Phoenix leaned over, exasperated.

"B-but! My stake is justice! I've always fought for the safety and justice of our kingdom!" Franziska smirked.

"Such a noble purpose is impossible. We are knights. Enforcers! Protectors! We are not superhuman! You would do well to learn that, Phoenix Wright!" Phoenix was at a loss for words. Franziska sped her horse up, and she rode ahead of the group. Phoenix was left with his thoughts.

* * *

"Phoenix Wright!" shouted Franziska ",We are nearly at the location reported to us. Do you wish to say anything before we disembark to battle this mage?"

"I-I-." The young knight was cut off by the silver haired warrior, seeming to have ignored his answer.

"Let us go." The group tied their horses to the rough trees and began to walk through a hilly plain. The grass creeped along their knees, causing them all to shiver. The eerie grassland held a confrontation, sedimented by the overwhelming lack of serenity. In that moment, a cloaked figure, clad in purple robes stepped into the light. As his face was revealed, they were faced with not a confident, smirking man, but a man who was trembling as tears flowed from his eyes.

"I-I'm innocent! Please!" exclaimed Max, much to the shock of Phoenix.

"Lies! We know you truly killed Russel! Who else could it have been!" The clown pointed at the panic-stricken mage. He winced at the sight of the finger.

"A-Acro! He fled that night! I know he must be the one!" The young mage trembled as he raised his hands to protect himself from the inevitable blow.

"Moe? What's he talking about?" The young witch questioned. The clown sighed, before the Fey woman gave him a puzzled look.

"Y-yesterday after the ringmaster was murdered, our former acrobat, Acro fled as well. We suspected Max, so we cornered him, then he fled." The clown turned to face the young knights.

"H-how! How could you keep this from us!" The young knight was appalled at the lies of the circus.

"Max was the most distant of us all! He always attacked us and injured us when we were not doing what he wanted," The clown argued.

"You were trying to use the justice of the Kingdom to get revenge! That is inexcusable!" The angry knight thrusted his finger forward, accusingly.

"Ah, sorry Phoenix Wright, yet this man has to be the murderer. After all, magic was used in the murder." Franziska smirked ",Time to finish our quest." The silver haired warrior held her sword high. In an instant, it was enveloped in a golden glow.

"SIR WRIGHT! P-P-PLEEEAASE! I-I!" Franziska began to swing her sword down at the mage. In that moment, Phoenix saw his eyes, genuinely filled with terror. Phoenix was thrust into the past as he remembered what had happened to him. His eyes sparkled with determination as he made his decision.

It took him less than an instant to place his hand on the jewel resting in his pocket. His blade was immediately illuminated in a bright blue light. He lunged forward and parried the fatal blow Franziska was about to deliver to the mage. Franziska smirked, as she realized what had happened.

"How do we know for certain that Sir Acro doesn't have access to magical abilities!" Franziska raised her blade to strike the mage once more, but was once again parried by Phoenix.

"Ha! Phoenix Wright. Can you prove he has magical abilities in his blood? I do believe you can't."

"I believe finding him is essential if we can prove that. V-von Karm- no, Franziska, please." Phoenix stared at his fellow knight with a look of a plea. Franziska turned away for a moment, before smirking.

"I suppose I shall help you out in trying to find Acro. The mage may come along as well." Franziska reached into her bag and placed a pair of magical handcuffs on the purple clad mage.

"He may not use magic or move freely until his innocence is ascertained," said Franziska.

"S-Sir Wright. Th-th-thank you! I thank you from the bottom of my heart! I know Acro is the true murderer of Russel, not me! I would never do such a thing!" The mage leaned over.

"Lies! There is no way Acro would've murdered Russell! At least, not on purpose." Moe leaned down, as recognition was plastered upon his face ",I-it can't be, can it?"

"What's wrong, Uncle Moe?" questioned Regina, much to the clown's chagrin. He was flustered for a moment, before turning to face the young animal trainer.

"It's uuuuh, nothing." The pathetic clown regained his composure, before turning to face the young knights, who were giving him a skeptical look. The group began to ride to find the missing acrobat.

* * *

"S-Sir Wright, I n-need to trust you and Madame von Karma with a secret," said Moe, facing them with a straight stare.

"Sure, I understand."

"If Acro is truly the culprit, then I believe Russel wasn't his intended victim. I think he wanted to kill Regina."

"But why? Why would someone want to murder her?" questioned Phoenix, bewildered.

"I have to entrust you with a terrible secret. Acro's brother, Bat was left in the care of the healer's, on death's door, because of a prank Regina had enacted."

"Wh-whaaaaat!" cried both of the young knights, in a shock. Franziska crossed her arms over her chest as Phoenix reeled back momentarily, before leaning over.

"She placed fine pepper on the scarf of Bat... and Bat went to put his head into the lion to impress Regina, and..." The disheartened clown lowered his head in sadness, as he reminisced on the tragedy of the circus.

"So you think Acro wanted to murder Regina, yet ended up murdering the ringmaster?"

"I hope not. That would be truly tragic. The fact remains that Russel didn't deserve to die." Moe sighed.

"I'm sorry, Moe." Phoenix placed a hand on the clown's shoulder. Franziska seemed apathetic.

"Can I ask something of you?" said Franziska, with a hint of a somber tone.

"Y-yes, Madame von Karma?" The prodigious knight shook her head as her silver hair shook with the wind.

"Why do you believe that Acro is truly the killer? Perhaps he had to attend to something of the utmost importance."

"Don't try and get out of this, Franziska. I know Acro is truly responsible for this attack." Franziska smirked.

"Well then, Phoenix Wright, What will you do when we get there? Will you attack Acro in the same way I attacked Sir Galactica? If so, it would be unjust. Unless you can prove it, Acro is innocent. Therefore, you attacking him would make you truly unworthy of your title! You would be banished from knighthood!"

"I will do what is right." Phoenix's mind was ablaze with thoughts of the outcome of the upcoming duel. The young knight began to sweat excessively, as he pondered his purpose.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you all for reading this chapter! Before I depart, I hope to wish you all a wonderful holiday season. Cheers!**

 **-Muhammad Sban**


	15. Chapter 14: Of Acrobats and Clowns

A/N: Welcome everyone to the final chapter of the Turnabout Big Top arc! I hope you all enjoy it! Happy New Year, everyone!

* * *

The young knight rubbed his finger over his chin repetitively. His mind was other places. He wasn't thinking of his task, but rather of the internal dilemma he had been challenged with. He hadn't felt as uneasy since his beloved mentor's death. His mind was trapped in a labyrinth of right and wrong, truth and lie.

"Nick? What's wrong?" Phoenix turned to face his cheery companion. A sincere smile was portrayed on her face. Phoenix smiled fondly, and his thoughts were melted away. He would do the right thing when it came down to it. The upbeat witch had an aura about her that caused Phoenix to feel tranquil.

"It's nothing, Maya. I'm not certain as to what I must do when I am confronted with Acro. Will I do the same thing I did with Sir Galactica, or will I try and destroy him?" Maya placed her fist on her cheek, thinking. She opened her mouth to speak, before stopping. She continued thinking and then began to speak.

"Why don't you try thinking of him the same way you thought of Sir Galactica. He may be a mage, yet he still has a chance of being Guilty. As of right now, you should feel more worried of Sir Galactica, as he is more likely of being the assailant of Sir Berry." Maya smiled fondly.

"Thank you, Maya. I know what I must do." Phoenix turned forward as the group rode through the wide clearing. Franziska rode slightly ahead of the rest of them, having an emotional dilemma of her own.

"Miles Edgeworth... Why? Why did you disappear? You were given a true set of laws, a true set of beliefs, and you left them for Phoenix Wright's foolish ideologies. I-I can't believe you," Franziska thought, droning on in her mind. She clenched the reins of her horse tightly, causing her knuckles to slowly lose color. Her left eye began to twitch, as her face contorted in anger. She took a deep breath and released her grip on the reins.

* * *

A man sat in a quiet room, sipping from a cup with a raven plastered onto it. The tea streamed down his throat, soothing his senses. He placed the cup down, and began to write in a very heavy cursive. He dipped his feather quill in a small bowl of ink. He put the quill to paper and began to write, urgently.

"Greetings, Inspector Gumshoe. I will trust you with my words. I heard of what happened. Whatever happens in this mission, promise me you will make sure that the criminal isn't allowed to roam free. I won't be able to intervene, yet tell Wright... "The correct decision will be decided by your outlook on the situation." Oh yes, I must inform you, I am currently dwelling in the Kingdom of Agerman. I send my regards.

Sincerely,

M.E."

The man stepped outside after calling for the courier. He spoke solemnly.

"Pass this on to the Japanifornian courier. She will take it to the person I wish to send it to." He handed the letter over, and the courier scampered to deliver the important letter. He smirked and took another sip from his Japanifornian brew tea.

* * *

The group dismounted their horses. They had arrived at the field where Acro had been reportedly sighted at. After stretching, Maya balled her fists and raised them to her head. She smirked before speaking.

"Ok, where is he!" Phoenix sighed, before turning the other direction. He was met with a man, sitting in a chair as several birds flocking around him.

"Acro." Moe dismounted, before turning to face the former performer. The man smiled fondly, as he held out a hand and a bird perched itself on top of his pointer finger.

"Moe. It's been awhile. I came out here to enjoy the lovely fields and mountains. Sorry for disappearing suddenly."

"Acro... I believe you killed Russel Berry," said Phoenix. The performer smiled, before turning to face the young knight. Phoenix was shocked at his incredibly calm demeanor and reaction to his accusation.

"Hm? And why would you suspect me of such a thing?" The performer was still remaining completely composed, much to the shock of the rest of them.

"We believe in an attempt to murder Regina by slamming the statue down with magic, you accidentally murder Sir Berry."

"Wh-what!" cried Regina, as her eyes began to fill with tears. Her tears streamed down her face. Acro's smile held under the pressure, despite seeing the young woman cry.

"I don't have access to magical abilities. You cannot prove that I do. Unless you engage me in battle. But then, you would lose your knighthood, wouldn't you? You would be removed." Franziska turned to face the young knight, who had a beat of sweat dripping down his forehead.

"Well Phoenix Wright. He's defended himself with words. What he says makes sense. Besides, he has another motivation for coming here, doesn't he?" Franziska smirked, before turning to face the performer.

"At this exact location, in this field, one year ago, Regina's lion bit my brother, leaving him in the care of the healers." Phoenix reeled back.

"B-b-but!"

"Face the facts, Sir Wright," Acro nonchalantly stated.

"N-no. Acro. Are you willing to let Max suffer for a crime he may not have committed?" Phoenix leaned over, desperation visible on his face.

"You don't seem to sure there, Phoenix Wright. It was on a whim that you defended Sir Galactica. It could all be an elaborate trick by a cunning mastermind."

"S-Sir Acro. Please!" Maximilian shouted, hoping to protect himself. Franziska began to walk towards the illustrious mage. The mage remained unmoving, terrified of his fate. Franziska lifted her sword, before beginning to swing down at the Mage. To her surprise, her blade was parried not by Phoenix Wright, but by Moe, the sad clown.

"M-Moe!?" Franziska reeled back, shocked.

"Madame von Karma, would you mind waiting a few minutes," The clown spoke solemnly, with a hint of a plea in his voice. Franziska sheathed her sword and nodded. Moe walked towards the crippled performer.

"Acro. I've known for a while that something might happen. That you might try and avenge Bat. I knew Russel would step forward for his daughter. That's what he did in his final hours. Bat will awaken someday. What will he say if you let someone else take the fall for Russel's murder? Max may not be perfect, but he still deserves a second chance."

"M-M-Moe's right!" exclaimed Ben ",I know that M-Max may have done much to harm me, b-but he doesn't deserve death for a falsehood. I was mistaken before. Acro, we will understand if you still deny R-Russel's m-murder, but if you do deny it, you'll have to live with the guilt of sending Max to his fate. You would be causing harm in the same way that that lion did to you and Bat on that accursed day."

Acro faced the sky, and suddenly, tears began pouring down his cheeks. His tears were true and terrible.

"S-Sir Wright. I-I don't think you understand. I need to be there when Bat wakes up. I'm sorry, but I can't let you take me in!" With the strength and agility that made him an acrobat, he launched his arms forward, causing a small beam of magic to consolidate into a blade and launch straight at Phoenix. Phoenix pulled his sword out, yet Maya dissipated the blade before he could swing.

Acro sent a large blast of flame in the direction of the young Fey woman. She began to block the flame, yet Franziska drew her blade and dissipated the flame. Maya gave her a look of thanks, before launching herself into the air and consolidating a blade of her own.

Acro sent a small gale of magic at her, sending her flying. Phoenix ran towards the acrobat. Acro created a small flame that he spun around himself. When Phoenix drew near, he used the flame to knock him back.

Phoenix ducked beneath the flame and swung his blade. Acro launched his chair backwards, before sending the young knight flying with a well placed blast to his chest. Franziska extended her sword into her whip and cracked it down, causing a cloud of dust to form. She swung her whip through the cloud, hearing nothing but a resounding crack.

When the dust cleared, she saw him holding an ice sword, parrying the whip. She swung again, but to no avail, as Acro had blocked the blow. She swung once more, and the blade shattered, causing the acrobat to reel back, dodging the blow.

Phoenix jumped into the air as Maya blew a quick blast of wind at him, launching Phoenix at rapid speeds towards the acrobat. He swung his sword, only to be parried by the acrobat's stunning sword. He consolidated a sword tenfold the size of Phoenix's. He swung it at the young knight, who jumped out of the way, narrowly missing the point of the sword.

While he was readying another swing, Phoenix launched in and delivered a strike to the acrobat's chest, causing a resounding metal sound. He had been wearing armor. Phoenix jumped over the acrobat's sword, landing behind his chair. He cut through the stands, causing the chair to land on the ground.

"Acro! Give up. Your brother won't be able to see you if your on the run. Now, you must come with us." Phoenix began to place a pair of handcuffs on the acrobat's hands.

"I-I wanted to avenge Bat... but I ended up destroying the one thing I truly had left. I am... nothing but a monster." His tears once again began to stream from his eyes.

"No! Please! Acro! You're not responsible! I am! Send me to the dungeon in his place! Please!" Regina cried, earning a look of shock from Acro.

"I'm... so sorry, Regina. I took away your father. I... truly apologize." Acro closed his eyes, yet his tears continued to flow. Franziska reluctantly untied the mage's handcuffs.

"Acro, the crime of a mage committing murder is worth death. Yet, I will appeal for you to have a sentence in the dungeon instead," Phoenix boldly declared, earning a look of contempt from Franziska.

"That's more than I deserve, Sir Wright." Franziska glared daggers at the young knight.

"D-dammit, Phoenix Wright! Even when you don't have any stakes, you still fight for these people! Why? Why do you care? They have nothing to do with you."

"It has to with a true justice. That's my stake." Phoenix stared at the silver haired warrior with confidence, causing her frown to deepen.

"Fool! No one has that noble of a stake! Your mentor burned that into your head using her witchlike ways!" Franziska shrieked.

"How dare you insinuate such a thing. Madame von Karma, it is disgraceful to speak ill of the dead," said Phoenix. Franziska ignored him,

"I believe your true stake is to honor her legacy. That would be believable! I doubt that justice is anyone's true stake. Don't you DARE parade about with that foolish charade!" Franziska was now clenching her teeth and glaring. Phoenix turned away, causing Franziska to seethe with anger.

"Well Nick, we did it. Again." He smiled fondly.

"Maya, what you said really helped me out. I really enjoy having you on these missions. Say, would you like to go to the circus after this?"

"Of course! You don't need to ask, Nick!" She laughed, and the circus members behind them began to converse.

"Well Max... I'll understand if you want to leave the circus," said Moe.

"Yes, I believe I will be taking my leave."

"Ben, Regina, we will make this circus the greatest in Japanifornia. I can assure you!"

"In that case, the greatest circus needs the greatest, illustrious mage, Maximillian Galactica! I will be most honored to be on board with the circus!"

"Max..." Moe smiled fondly, causing Max to form a determined look on his face. The group would honor the memory of the former ringmaster by improving the circus.

* * *

They returned to the large capitol of Japanifornia, and as soon as they arrived, they were greeted by the inspector, Gumshoe.

"Inspector Gumshoe! I haven't seen you since the incident with Maggey!"

"Sir Wright, I have a message from that knight. He says that 'the correct decision will be decided by your outlook on the situation." Gumshoe handed Phoenix the letter. His eyes widened as he read the letters along the bottom of the page. The initials.

"What is it, Nick?" Maya leaned over his shoulder. "M.E!"

"M-M-Miles Edgeworth?" questioned Phoenix. At that, a fierce whip struck him. He turned to see Franziska Von Karma standing there.

"Give me that letter. I must see it! Now!"

"B-But, M-Madame von Karm-." Franziska lashed two blows at the poor inspector. Gumshoe winced as the whip hit him.

"Give it to me, Scruffy Sir Trenchcoat!" Gumshoe reluctantly handed her the letter. At that, Franziska took off, returning to the knight's courtyard. Phoenix turned to face the frightened inspector.

"Hey pal, I needed to thank you again for what you did for Madame Maggey Byrde two weeks ago..."

"Gumshoe, why don't you ask her? I'm sure she'd be more than happy to be courted by you." At that, the inspector blushed.

"Oh, I've just been too nervous, pal. Can we talk about something else?" The scruffy man scratched his neck, before turning back to face the knight.

"When did you receive that letter?" asked Phoenix.

"A few hours ago. Sir Edgeworth is currently in the Kingdom of Agerman."

"He'll return on his own. We have nothing to gain in looking for him." Phoenix turned away, staring angrily at the ground.

"Nick, how do you think Madame von Karma feels about this?"

"I think she hates Edgeworth just as much as we do. Clearly, he won't be welcomed back with open arms." He scoffed.

"Hey Nick... Why don't we go meet up with Pearls. I think we should see her again."

"You're right. I shall see you later, Gumshoe." He waved a farewell to the scruffy man.

"Goodbye, Pal!"

* * *

"My darling Pearl. Next time you visit Kurain, I need you to find the letter. Find my instructions. You'll see a date and time. You'll see it all. It's for the benefit of the Fey clan. Listen to my instructions, and do not tell a single soul of what you read. It's my final wish, Pearl." Morgan Fey stared at eye level with the young Pearl Fey.

"Y-yes mother. Of course." Pearl began to walk away. Little did she know, that a third party had been aware of the events of this conversation. A smirk curved across that man's face. He sipped from his mug of coffee.

* * *

When Phoenix and Maya had arrived, Pearl had returned to Phoenix's quarters. After greeting them both with a warm cup of tea, the three went to sleep for the night, leaving the day behind them, and far more days to come.

* * *

"How. How on earth are you so awful, Phoenix Wright. M-Miles Edgeworth... when you disappeared, you left me to clean up your mess. Mark my words, I will get my revenge."

* * *

A/N: Thank you all for reading this chapter. My original plan for next chapter was to start the Farewell my Turnabout arc, yet I don't want to stretch it out across five whole chapters, so I will probably be doing The Lost Turnabout's arc first, then going on to Farewell, my Turnabout. With that, I hope you have all enjoyed the final section of 'Turnabout Big Top's' arc in the Kingdom of Japanifornia. Cheers!

-Muhammad Sban


	16. Chapter 15: A Rescue Operation

**A/N: Salutations, dear readers. Welcome to the Kingdom of Japanifornia Chapter Fifteen. I hope you all enjoy this Chapter. It's the filler, kind of. I enjoyed writing it, so I do hope you enjoy the Kingdom of Japanifornia's adaptation of 'The Lost Turnabout'. Cheers!**

* * *

Phoenix took a sip from the bowl of noodles that sat in front of him. Maya Fey ate large bites of the new dish, the Japanifornian Burger. Pearl Fey, who sat nearby, was eating a light chicken sandwich. She insisted on sitting at the other table. She claimed to give Phoenix and Maya to spend some time together as special someone's should. Phoenix and Maya continued denying the young witch's accusations.

"Nick? What do you want to do after this?" Maya stared at the young knight.

"There's not much we can do, Maya. Very few people have come to us, and the bearded one hasn't assigned us any missions directly." Maya groaned.

"We haven't had any missions in so long. It's so boring here without stuff to do!"

"Yes Maya, getting into life-threatening situations, and fighting for our lives is enjoyable," said Phoenix. Sarcasm plagued his voice.

"Niiick."

"I'm sorry, it's just that I don't see the fun in having to fight for our lives and hunt down someone. It's bitter, grueling work." Phoenix turned to face her and smile. "Say, why don't we hurry up and finish up so we can head back. The walk should do us some good."

* * *

The trio had walked through the knight's courtyard. They had to go through without arousing the knights who despised witches. After arriving at Phoenix's quarters, he found a desperate inspector sitting there.

"I-Inspector Gumshoe! I haven't seen you since the incident with Edg-." Maya cut herself off. Gumshoe stood up.

"P-pals, I-I need your help! I-It's one of my fellow inspectors! She's been kidnapped!" His voice was desperate. He looked angry, yet desperation was clear in his voice. Phoenix reeled back.

"Wh-what happened?" asked Phoenix. Phoenix and Maya took Gumshoe inside as Pearl made a cup of tea for all of them. She placed the tray on the table and all of them took a cup. Pearl sipped from a cup of tea.

"What's going on, Sir... Gumshoe?" questioned Pearl. She looked at the flustered inspector with concern. Gumshoe took a deep breath.

"I'll tell you exactly what happened. It was the bandit tribe, the Wellingtons," said Gumshoe.

* * *

"Hey Inspector Gumshoe, can I ask why we're out here, all the way in the far east of the Kingdom? I mean, what kind of guard spot is this?!" The young Maggey Byrde faced Inspector Gumshoe, her superior. They were standing on a stone bridge over a frozen river.

"Sorry pal, but I'm pretty sure the guys on top want me out of the way for the next few days," said Gumshoe. Maggey leaned over as anger creeped onto her face.

"I can't believe they'd do that! I mean, we could be on the top, going along with knight's missions, if it weren't for Sir Edgeworth's disappearance!" Maggey growled.

"After his disappearance, I was blamed by the other inspectors. I was the one with him most of the time. They lowered my ranking and my pay!" Maggey's expression morphed to a sorrowing one.

"Sir, what is that?" questioned Maggey, turning to face a group of people running towards them. Both of them drew their swords. A man landed on top of the bridge, facing them. His hair was entirely black, save for a single streak of gold. The trademark of the Wellington clan. Realization dawned on Gumshoe's face.

A smug grin was placed on his face. The blue attire he was suited in reminded Gumshoe of Phoenix. He lunged at Maggey. She parried the blow, but was knocked backwards because of the force. Gumshoe struck from above him, causing him to block the blow. He delivered a powerful kick to Gumshoe's chest, winding him and sending him backwards.

He ran and began to deliver several blows to the young woman's sword. Maggey attempted to parry, yet she was quickly disarmed. The man quickly took notice of the badge placed on her chest. He smirked. He tied her wrists with a rope, and called down the bridge to the rest of his clan.

"I will kidnap one of the inspectors out here and ransom her back to the capital." He was met with applaud from the group beneath him. He smirked.

"Well done, Richard. It's clear that you are worthy of the Wellington name." Rich Wellington basked in the praise he was receiving.

"N-no!" Gumshoe got up and began to charge the smarmy man. Rich dodged and once again delivered a kick, knocking Gumshoe back. He jumped off, and the group rode away with Maggey Byrde as a hostage.

* * *

Gumshoe barged into the king's chambers and begged him to send a group to save Maggey. After receiving many declinations, he was forced to take the matters into his own hands. So, he gathered Phoenix, Maya, and Pearl for the task.

"I wanted more help in this mission, so I begged Madame von Karma to help. A warrior of her skill combined with all of us should be able to destroy the Wellington Clan." Gumshoe was very determined.

"Franziska is on board?" questioned Phoenix.

"Indeed I am, Sir Phoenix Wright!" The silver-haired warrior walked into the room, uninvited. Phoenix shook his head.

"Come what may, I need you to accept this as a rescue mission, not a raid. We should try to spare as many lives as possible," said Phoenix, earning a glare of contempt from Franziska, as well as a look of shock from Gumshoe.

"Kidnapping an inspector is high treason, Phoenix Wright," said Franziska ",We have all the right to kill them." Franziska smirked. Phoenix shook his head.

"We should take them as prisoners," said Phoenix ",That way, they have a prolonged sentence." Franziska nodded, smirking. They began walking.

"Gumshoe, you seem uneasy about something," said Phoenix, causing the inspector to turn to face him. He sighed.

"Pal, this isn't going to be an easy mission. The Wellington clan has been a threat to the kingdom for 30 years. Clans don't just stay alive for being bad at fighting."

"Don't worry, Scruffy Sir Trenchcoat. With a skilled warrior as myself, and the exceptional skills of the Feys, we should be able to tackle this. Oh, you and Phoenix Wright will be beneficial too." Phoenix glared at Franziska, earning a smirk on her part.

"It won't be an easy battle," said Phoenix ",The Wellington clan has been plaguing our Kingdom with raids and other thefts for years. They don't have access to magic, yet they are exceptional sword fighters. They have a technique used by them that no one else has ever learned."

"It's a short journey," said Franziska ",We all known where the Wellington encampment is located, they make no attempt in hiding it's location, we just need to figure out a way to raid it."

"If we go in there with everything, we're going to lose. We need to play this strategically and formulate a plan of attack," said Phoenix ",The base is at the top of Taweel Mountain, one of the tallest mountains in Japanifornia."

"Raiders have to scale the side of the mountain, which is hard as they have the high ground. They always know when someone is trying to attack," said Franziska.

"If they find us, it's over," said Phoenix.

"D-dammit! The one time Miles Edgeworth's ability would come in handy, he's not here to use it!" Franziska seethed.

"Why did you have to mention him," said Phoenix, angrily.

"Pals! We need to hurry. If we don't have a plan, we might as well be dead!" Gumshoe huffed, earning a lash from Franziska's whip.

"Patience, Scruffy! We're trying to formulate our solution!" Gumshoe placed his hand on his arm, shaking with pain. "Now then, we don't need Miles Edgeworth! The plan is as follows. We have Madame Fey launch us from above and we land in the middle of the camp, knocking them off the cliff and saving Madame Byrde."

"Where would we launch from? There are no neighboring mountains! I don't know if Maya could launch us all up from the ground," said Phoenix, facing Maya ",Could you?"

"I-I don't know, Nick. I don't even know if both me and Pearly could even generate a gust strong enough to lift you all up."

"Sir Nick, if we were to make a rock platform to launch you all from, it would draw their attention and ruin our surprise." Pearl faced him with a solemn expression.

"Franziska, can you help them generate a wind blast to launch me and Gumshoe up there?"

"You two wouldn't last very along alone. I think we need to try a different approach. They check the mountain all night and all day, they always have someone on guard," said Franziska.

"We can't tunnel under, that would take far too long," said Phoenix ",Even if all of you are working with magic, and we are all working with shovels it still would take far too long." Phoenix groaned.

"We can't climb the mountain, we can't come from the skies, we can't tunnel beneath, what other option is left?" questioned Maya.

"We need to think outside of the box and find a solution. All the rational possibilities have been eliminated, so we need to think irrationally," said Phoenix.

"Perhaps we can trick them," said Franziska ",They've already opened up the opportunity for ransom, correct? We go back with a sack filled with heavy bricks, and enchant the bag to only be openable after we have Maggey back."

"No, if they were that dense, they wouldn't have survived this long. They would ask for at least some proof that what we have is gold. Maggey wouldn't be returned until we prove that," said Phoenix.

"Grr! Do you have a better idea, Phoenix Wright!" exclaimed Franziska. Phoenix calmly responded...

"The Wellington Clan frequently participates in raids. I don't believe that they climb up and down the mountain every single time they make a raid. I suggest we examine the base of the mountain and perhaps find some form of entrance."

"Which would be just as, if not more well guarded then the cliff side!" Franziska seethed, as they realized they were checkmated. Phoenix leaned over his ebony horse as well, sweating.

"It shouldn't be this difficult! They have to have some weakness! What if we completely destroy the mountain!"

"If we do that, then Maggey will be killed along with the Wellington clan. Not only that, but we would lose one of the most historical sights in the Kingdom!" said Franziska.

"Maybe that mountain plan wasn't too off base," said Maya. They all turned to Phoenix, who began speaking.

"I have an idea..."

* * *

Dee and Dum Wellington were the guards in charge of guarding the north side of the cliff on that cold night. They held their blades.

"Attackers? Feh! We haven't had anyone try to raid our encampment in years! Why do they have us stay up all night and guard against nothing!" Dee paused for a moment, before allowing Dum to respond.

"I mean, why! It makes no sense! I agree with you, no one who had the gall to raid the Wellington clan ever lived to see the top of the cliff! I mean, a-a-a-a!" A small flame landed in the middle of the mountain. In a moment, it exploded, not touching the tents, yet the shockwave knocked several tents off of the mountains. Both of them remained still, as they had no idea who or where their attacker was.

Phoenix Wright and his comrades were all searching the tents for Maggey as they were falling off of the tall mountains. If he found that Maggey wasn't in the tent, he shut it and allowed Maya to place a curse on it so they couldn't get out. Franziska was on her own, and Pearl and Gumshoe were together, doing the same. After securing all the tents and ensuring that Maggey wasn't in any of them, they gathered together.

"The Wellington encampment has been weakened tremendously, I'm almost certain that was nearly half of their tents," said Franziska ",A single blast shall do the trick."The three readied up a large blast and began to compact it into a small flame. They began to launch the flame into the sky.

As soon as they heard the consequent explosion, the mages propelled them all up to quickly explore the tents. Upon sighting the largest tent, Phoenix entered to be greeted by Maggey tied by a rope and unconscious, and a man with black hair with a single gold streak. He was wearing blue attire.

"Y-you're the one who kidnapped Inspector Byrde!" exclaimed Phoenix, drawing his sword. Maya caused the tent to levitate in midair as the two warriors began to clash swords. Phoenix began to swing his sword at increasing rates. He placed his other hand on the gem in his pocket, and suddenly the blade was glowing. He swung it with precision.

Richard Wellington was swinging his sword with an equal skill, until Phoenix used the Magatama's power. Now, he was on the defensive, barely parrying all the blows. They began trading blows, all of which were parried. Until Phoenix placed a lot of his strength in a particular blow and disarmed the blade. Rich jumped back against the opposite side of the tent.

He grabbed a weapon off of the wall. It was a stick. A golden stick, which gave off an aura of history. Wellington lunged at the young knight, who parried the blow. Wellington swung the stick with an incredible ease. Suddenly, he landed a hit on Phoenix's torso with the cane. Before Phoenix could regain his bearings, Wellington began to rapidly smack the stick against Phoenix, before Phoenix went flying back and off of the tent. Luckily, Maya slowed his fall and he landed. He was unconscious.

Maya jumped into the tent to see Wellington lifting the cane, preparing to strike. Within moments, she had conjured two swords in both hands that glowed a bright orange color. Several symbols were plastered along the hilt and blade. At the end, they were joined into the signature Magatama of the Feys. Whenever Maya summoned the sword, it would always have the same markings, not out of intention.

She readied her blade as Wellington began to charge her. She swung the blade in her right hand, parrying Wellington's, while attempting to swing at him with the blade in her other hand. Wellington parried that and attempted to kick Maya, yet she managed to liquify the blade and swing the remains at him. He flew against the other end of the tent, but quickly regained his bearings. Maya conjured the blades again.

At that, Phoenix jumped into the tent, and stood beside Maya. She turned to face him.

"Nick! Grmph!" Wellington delivered a kick to her chest, winding her and rendering her unconscious. Her breaths were shallow. Phoenix jumped onto Richard Wellington. He swung with precision. Since Maya was unconscious, the elevated tent began to fall. Rich jumped out and gained a foothold on the cliff. He hoisted Maya onto his soldier, before stopping. He couldn't take both her and Inspector Byrde. He cut Inspector Byrde loose. He looked out the door and saw the ground approaching quickly. Suddenly, they stopped.

Franziska stood, blasting a gust of magic, holding the tent in midair. Slowly, she lowered it to the ground. Phoenix turned and cut Inspector Byrde loose.

"They're both unconscious. They would've died if you hadn't slowed the fall. Thank you, Franziska," said Phoenix. Franziska nodded.

"I'll secure these two. I'll launch you up to the cliff where the man you were battling fled. There, you will battle him." They both stepped outside. Phoenix readied himself. Within moments, a gust of wind launched him up to Wellington's position. He began to swing his sword violently, before landing a foothold and beginning to swing his sword with less ferocity. They traded blows. Phoenix lunged at him, knocking him off of his foothold. Phoenix fell down as well. They were swinging their swords at each other in mid-air.

He swung the golden stick at Phoenix, which rendered him unconscious. Pearl and Gumshoe arrived at that moment. Pearl put her hands out, slowing Phoenix's fall. Wellington fell to the ground, winding him, and knocking him unconscious.

A golden light that faded to darkness enveloped Phoenix. Meanwhile, Franziska was tying up Richard Wellington in the tent. Phoenix regained consciousness in that moment. His eyes were wide. Where was he? Who was he? His mind raced, attempting to access the situation, but unable to comprehend the events.

"Sir Nick, are you alright?" questioned Pearl. Phoenix stirred, attempting to get up. His body shook as he lifted himself up.

"Who are you?" questioned Phoenix. Pearl reeled back. Gumshoe's eyes widened.

"Th-The Curse of the Wellingtons. That must be what that golden stick was!" exclaimed Gumshoe, earning a look of confusion from Pearl. The rest of the group walked over to analyze the situation.

"Hey Nick! We did it!" Maya Fey had regained consciousness and was smiling. Maggey Byrde walked up from behind her and smiled.

"I owe everything to you, Sir Wright! And to you of course, Sir Gumshoe," said Maggey. Phoenix swayed for a moment, before blinking and speaking.

"Wh-what? Who are you?" said Phoenix, eliciting a loud gasp from Maya. Maggey's eyes widened in response to this. Maya remained still, gobsmacked. A few tears began to form in her eyes. Phoenix swayed slightly, trying to grip to consciousness. Franziska clenched her fists.

"That stick... it makes sense! How could I have not seen it before? That stick is how the curse of the Wellington's has been occurring!" Maya turned to face the silver haired knight.

"What is the Curse of the Wellingtons?" questioned Maya. Pearl nodded, looking for an answer as well.

"Every time someone would go to raid or destroy the Wellington's, they would either come back with no memory of any life prior or not come back at all. That stick must be enchanted with the curse. Now that we have possession of the stick, we should be able to undo it. The thing about curse enchantments is that they stop working as soon as the enchanted item is broken," said Franziska.

The silver haired woman held the stick firmly. She lifted it in the air and gathered all of her force into her arms and swung it down against the ground. She went flying back. The stick remained, unmoving. Contrary to their presumptions, the stick remained perfectly intact. Franziska stood still, gobsmacked. Maya formed a simple sharp ended blast, directing it directly at the stick, hoping it would cut through. She was wrong.

The stick retorted by mimicking her movement. Maya was launched back several feet by a magical blast. The sharp end of the blast tore slightly at her Kimono. A small cut formed as she fell to the ground. Phoenix attempted to get up. Something inside him stirred. A faint emotion. He needed to protect the world from the evils. He took the sword sheathed around his waist. He swung it down, and a sharp crack was heard.

The golden stick began to drain of it's color. Several shining specks rose into the air. Several of the specks went flying towards the amnesiac knight. He leaned over, blinking several times. His eyes shined as his memories slowly began to return to him. He remembered Gumshoe, Pearl, Franziska, and Maya. He smiled as he recalled them. Then, the face of Miles Edgeworth came to him, and he croaked with sadness. He fell to the ground.

He glanced at the Kingdom around him as he remembered everything. Then, his former mentor, Mia Fey popped into his mind. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he recalled her. The woman who had saved him and given him a chance at knighthood. The woman who had trained him and taught him everything. He lifted himself off of the ground.

"Nick! D-do you remember-!"

"Wait! Madame Fey, you know the Kingdom has procedures for situations like this! You must address him by his full name until his remembrance is ascertained."

She turned to face the young knight. "Do you remember who you are?"

"I am Phoenix Wright. Knight of the Order of the Attornial Knights. Understudy of the late Legendary Knight Mia Fey." Maya beamed. Franziska smirked.

"Thank you so much, Sir Wright! If it weren't for your genius idea, I don't know if I would've been saved!" Maggey smiled.

"Well, I couldn't have actually enacted the plan without the help of everyone else. You should really be thanking Gumshoe, here. He was the one who organized the group to come save you."

"Thank you so much, Inspector Gumshoe! I owe it all to you! Ever since I was 9 months old, when I fell off of my ninth floor dormitory, I've been hit with all kinds of bad luck! Horses trampling me, breaking my bones, and worse. But, having you assigned as my mentor wasn't a stroke of bad luck, Inspector Gumshoe." She smiled.

"Th-Thank you, pal." Was all Gumshoe could manage. He wiped at his eyes, silently.

"I think I'm going to begin along a different path. I don't know what yet, but I will find a new path!" exclaimed Maggey ",Just wait, sirs! I'll show you!" She smiled widely.

* * *

" _Within a single day, we had returned to the capitol. Several days later, there was a ceremony celebrating the capture of the Wellington tribe. A parade throughout the streets. Several venues of Japanifornia's finest dishes were sold for half the price. Maya drained all of my money. The next night, the ringmaster of a prominent circus was murdered, and we were dragged into another incident."_

* * *

 **A/N: There was my adaptation of the Lost Turnabout! I kinda wish I could work faster, as I wanted to post Turnabout Memories alongside the anime's adaptation of it. Sadly, I failed in that regard. The next chapter shall begin the finale of the JFA arc. The Farewell, My Turnabout arc. I hope you all enjoyed. Cheers!**


	17. Chapter 16: Dread

**A/N: Greetings, treasured readers. Here, we begin the final section of the Justice for All arc. I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

"And now, we present the winner of the annual Japanifornian Hero of Heroes contest. We present... The Nickel Samurai, trademark of Global Studios!" The bright light of the moon illuminated the dark plaza. A loud cheer erupted through the crowds. Many people pumped their hands in the air in ecstasy, while others groaned in frustration as they paid for their bets.

"Yes! We did it! Pay up, Sir Powers!" Maya opened her hand as Will Powers put 30 Japanifornian pounds in her hand. She smirked and walked off to buy herself something to eat with her winnings.

"Maya? If you want food, there's a lot here. Mr. Powers paid for this buffet with his money, I don't think you should go buy something else," said Phoenix. She groaned.

"Come on, Nick! I just want to buy some Chocolate! It's a pricy treat!"

Phoenix smiled awkwardly.

"Why don't you buy it after the parade is done? I'm sure the venues are going to be open well into the night."

"Well, I, uuuh, Y-you're going to take my money!"

"Pretty sure it's the other way around, Maya," said Phoenix with a chuckle. The young witch merely puffed up her cheeks. He heard a quiet cough and turned to face the girl beside him. It was Pearl Fey. She smiled.

"Sir Nick! Your special someone wants something, and that means you have to let her have it," exclaimed Pearl. Phoenix leaned back, lifting his arms up slowly in surrender.

"Yeah Nick! I'm going to go buy me some chocolate!" shouted Maya. She stuck her tongue out at him, earning a wave of laughter from him. She walked towards the stall selling chocolate. Phoenix looked at Powers.

"Sorry about that, Sir Powers."

"Don't worry about it, Sir Wright. I made a bet, and I lost. I really thought this would be the Jammin' Ninja's Year," said Powers.

"The Jammin' Ninja?" asked Phoenix.

"He's basically the Nickel Samurai's rival. I heard he banked it all on winning this year," said Powers. Phoenix nodded, placing a finger on his chin.

"His rival? What's going on between the two?"

"It's less of between the characters or the studios, it's between the actors. Sir Matt Engarde and Juan Corrida play the Nickel Samurai and Jammin' Ninja respectively," he explained.

"Sometimes I wonder how such odd ideas managed to seep it's way into our culture," said Phoenix.

* * *

Maya Fey walked through the bustling city streets. She turned her head left and right, trying to find the stand she was looking for. When she found the one selling chocolate, she hurried over to the stand. The vendor was a burly giant who appeared as though he had no place in selling the sweetest treat in Japanifornia.

"Can I have some chocolate?" She held out her hand, filled with her winnings.

"I don't know if you know about this girly, but I won't serve you here. _Your kind_." She leaned back, as realization crept on to her face. "I know you're a witch who works with Sir Wright. I think all witches should be sent to the rattler chamber. Now, scram before I lose my temper and show you what I want to do to the witches!" He lifted the knife and slammed it into the table, which caused a lot of wood to chip and land all around the stand.

The young witch ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She closed her eyes as the tears began to flow from her eyelids. As soon as she was a safe distance from the chocolate stand, she used her sleeve to wipe the tears away. Maya lifted herself up. She granted a quick glance to her surroundings and found herself in a musty alleyway.

She took several steps around and attempted to find her companion. After taking several turns, the situation slapped her in the face. She was completely lost. She continued walking, hoping to find the exit to the maze of roads.

"Hello, Madame Fey..."

* * *

"Sir Wright, I just want to thank you and apologize once more for the events that unfolded last year." Phoenix nodded.

"Sir Powers, we came along with that mission for justice. You needn't thank us." Powers smiled awkwardly. At that moment, Phoenix heard loud footsteps approaching him. He turned and was met with the face of a silver haired warrior. Franziska von Karma stood, facing the young knight.

"Franziska! I didn't think I'd see you at an event like this," Phoenix chuckled, much to the chagrin of the rival warrior.

"Quiet, Phoenix Wright! I came to discuss Miles Edgeworth!" Phoenix sighed.

"Sir Edgeworth?" said Powers. Phoenix picked up on the puzzled look in his eyes.

"Her name is Franziska von Karma. Sir Edgeworth's adoptive sister." Powers nodded.

"What did you do to him!? He believed in the von Karma's creed! How did you managed to instill such a weak mindset in him? Did you and the Fey girl hypnotize him?" She said, before murmuring ",I miss his old self."

"Franziska... why are you asking?" asked Phoenix. Then, a voice that Phoenix never thought he would ever hear again spoke. Powers widened his eyes.

"Because she isn't familiar with change. Is that about right, Franziska?" Honorable Knight Miles Edgeworth turned to face the awestruck knight. Phoenix's jaw dropped. The maroon-clad knight smirked, much to Phoenix's chagrin. Phoenix shook his head and then gave Edgeworth the dirtiest glare he could muster.

"Edgeworth," said Phoenix, venom unimpaired from his voice. Pearl placed a hand over her mouth as her hair bobbed up.

"So this is Sir Eh-Ji-Worth!"

Phoenix's breath grew hot. Edgeworth crossed his arms over his chest with a smirk.

"Hmph. You haven't changed, Wright. You continue to detest me. This hatred is uncalled for. Not to mention one-sided." Phoenix gritted his teeth. His calm exterior betrayed him as it changed into a hot rage.

"I thought you had changed. You were broken. Your precious little record was broken. Your views were not changed. Edgeworth, I don't want to speak with you ever again." Edgeworth furrowed his brow.

"Hmm. I wasn't expecting a warm welcome, yet I didn't expect this degree of hatred," said Edgeworth.

"Miles Edgeworth, you're weak! You forgot your ways!"

"Actually Franziska, I think that Edgeworth," he spat his name like a curse word ",hasn't changed at all. He's still wrapped up in his delusion of perfection," said Phoenix.

"I'll have you know that I don't believe in those nonsensical beliefs any more, Wright. Perfection is an impossibility. That is one thing that you should be familiar with, right, Franziska von Karma?" Franziska seemed to stop for a second.

"H-how dare you! I've maintained this creed for my entire life. I'm the only one who can do it! My sister left years ago and Miles Edgeworth has failed. I'm the only one who can carry the von Karmas as one of the noble blood lines!"

"Oh? You've been upholding it for your entire life? Then let me hear it, Franziska. How've you been doing recently in this kingdom. Are you out of your element? Is that why you've also failed to uphol-."

 ***CRACK***

The whip cracked across his chest once, before being hit twice more against his arm. Phoenix was shocked to see him remain unfazed. Edgeworth smirked at Franziska. She stormed off in a fit of rage.

"Why don't you go, Edgeworth. I'm sick of you. I can't stand to even look at you. Go." His voice remained venomous. A smirk creeped onto Edgeworth's face.

"Hmph. I expect you to rethink your position as a knight. Farewell, Wright," he spoke solemnly. Phoenix seethed as the maroon-clad knight briskly walked away. He sipped from the drink on his table. Powers leaned over and began to talk to Pearl. Phoenix was left with his thoughts.

* * *

A half hour passed. One of the peasants came by and placed a mysterious object on the table. Phoenix sat, thinking about the words of the maroon-clad knight. At that moment, a seemingly pretentious man approached their table. He turned to face the young knight. Powers's jaw dropped.

"Hey, Sir Knight Dude! I'm Matt Engarde!" Phoenix's eyes widened. He recomposed himself quickly, before nodding.

"Congratulations on your victory, Sir Engarde," said Phoenix. The famous star nodded.

"Sir Knight Dude, can I hire you for a mission? I need to retrieve a relic thingy, y-know?"

"A relic thingy?" asked Phoenix.

"Yeah!"

"Sorry, Sir Engarde. I am not excepting missions currently. So, I apologize." Matt looked saddened. He crossed his arms.

"That's too bad," he muttered, before walking away. Once he was a fair distance away, he leaned over and pressed his finger on his cuff. He spoke.

* * *

"Umm, Sir Nick? Mystic Maya is taking a while. She hasn't returned. I'm worried..." Pearl seemed nervous. Phoenix placed a finger on his chin. Several possibilities scurried into his mind, but he quickly shut them down.

"L-let's go look for her. I'm sure she's f-fine," he forced a smile to hide the growing anxiety within him. The two wandered around the courtyard for several minutes in search of the heir to the Feys. After searching the many areas she could've been in, they returned to their seats. Upon their return, Powers was bidding farewell to everyone.

"Sir Wright. Thank you so much for coming! I'll hopefully see you sometime soon. Farewell!"

"Thank you so much for the invitation, Sir Powers!" With that, the action star walked away. walked away. Phoenix turned to face Pearl, who sniffling rapidly. He could see the tears forming in her eyes. Phoenix kneeled down to Pearl's height.

"Maya will be fine. Don't worry, Pearls. I'm sure she's just gorging herself at the chocolate stand," said Phoenix, grinning. That grin was short lived as the strange item that the servant had placed on the desk made a sudden noise, causing Pearl and Phoenix to jump. At the sound, Pearl fell to the ground. Phoenix extended a hand and helped her up. He slowly approached the strange item, hoping to discover it's purpose.

He placed his hand on the stone. A mysterious voice spoke.

"Is this Sir Phoenix Wright? The knight." Phoenix frowned.

"Y-yes. I'm Phoenix Wright of the Attornial Knights."

"Ah, Excellent. Excellent. I assume you have heard Sir Engarde's service request?" At that moment, he felt a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Y-yes. I-I declined it. I didn't wish to involve myself in any missions for now." Phoenix stood still.

"Ah! Well you see, I have a very precious 'item' of yours in my possession," he said. Phoenix could've sworn he heard something threatening in his monotonous voice.

Phoenix reached into his pockets, checking to see if he forgot something. Thankfully everything was safely in his pockets, but that only worsened his fears. He turned to the transceiver to hear the last thing he wanted to hear.

"N-Nick! Help!" The voice was there. It was terrified. It was real.

It was Maya. The cogs turned in Phoenix's head as recognition made it's way clear across his face. Pearl Fey let out a terrible scream. He felt the tears forming in his eyes, so he viciously rubbed them off with his sleeve. Phoenix felt like the moonlight was beating him down into the ground. He forced himself to stand. It was the truest nightmare he ever experienced in his many years.

"Wh-what do y-you w-want!?" he managed to stutter out.

"Come now, Sir Wright. Don't fall apart on me yet. I need you to do something."

"What do you want!" said Phoenix. His voice was hoarse.

"Sir Corrida has fled from this city to find the relic. He is doing it to bribe Engarde's resignation. Sir Engarde is innocent. Your job is to retrieve the relic and give it to Sir Engarde."

"Th-that sounds simple enough. And then... You'll return Maya?" said Phoenix.

"Yes. Slay anyone who attempts to come between you and the relic. You will leave tonight." Phoenix gulped.

"Wh-who are you?," asked Phoenix, to be met with a silence that lasted several seconds. He could almost feel the mysterious man pondering what to say.

"...Very well. I am... de Killer." An odd sound was heard and then the man spoke no more. Phoenix lowered the strange device. He placed his right hand on the table and slowly sat down.

"S-Sir Nick... Will Mystic Maya be ok?" Phoenix lifted himself up and saw pleading eyes staring at him. It melted his heart.

He started to answer, but stopped. _I need to stay strong for Pearls's sake._

"I'm sure she'll be fine, Pearls. We need to go now and talk to Sir Engarde about his request," said Phoenix. Pearl lifted herself up. She nodded, causing the tears that were in her eyes to fall away. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to make the pain disappear.

* * *

The two walked towards the stage where Matt was seated. A group of girls crowded around him.

"Oh my Gosh! I can't believe I can't believe your so amazing!" Matt gave a smile and brushed his hand through his hair. The girls swooned.

"I'm the guy who's as refreshing as a spring breeze, y'know?" The group of girls let out joyous screams and frolicked away from the famous man. Phoenix and Pearl approached him.

"Oh! Sir Knight! I haven't seen you in ages!"

"It's only been an hour," said Phoenix, bitingly. He was shocked at his tone. _I'm not usually this bitter, am I?_

"Did you spend that time thinking about the request and reconsidering because you want to journey alongside an action star!" Phoenix ignored him.

"I've decided to accept your request. The mission shall begin tonight," said Phoenix. He laughed internally. _How stupid I must sound, saying a mission will start on the same night that it is requested._

"That's fine. I'm ready for the mission. Can we meet somewhere in a few hours? I'll have all my things by then," said Matt. Phoenix was momentarily shocked.

"B-but what about a prosecutorial knight?"

"A prosecutorial knight would be a hindrance to our mission, yet I have one lined up. Madame Franziska von Karma." Phoenix clenched his fists, angry that she was the one he would have to endure. Phoenix nodded.

"Let us meet at the knight's horse stable at midnight tonight," said Phoenix ",We'll depart then. First, I will need to report the mission to the bearded one. Gods know that we're dead if we don't tell him about it."

"Thank you so much, Sir Knight Dude!" Phoenix tried to hide his frustration, before giving up and walking away. Pearl followed suite, looking up at him with concern.

* * *

Phoenix hoisted his bag and Pearl's onto his shoulders, before the strange item he now had placed on his belt began to sound.

"Hello? Sir Wright?" said the man. Phoenix seethed. _It's him._

"What do you want," said Phoenix.

"I left you a little gift to help you with your mission. It's down at the stables. Oh, and let me say, apologize to Madame von Karma on my behalf." Phoenix's eyes widened. The communication ended. Phoenix sprinted down to the stables with Pearl closely behind him. The two ran until they arrived at the stables.

Phoenix opened the door. He saw Franziska lying on the floor, a knife driven into her shoulder. She was shaking in agony. She looked so small and young. Beside her, Miles Edgeworth kneeled, a frantic expression plastered on his face. Edgeworth turned to face the young knight, who had also frozen.

"D-dammit, Wright! Go get a healer! Quickly!" shouted Edgeworth. Phoenix sprinted away to find a healer for the silver haired warrior. Pearl remained still, a fearful glance in her eye as she stared at the wounded Franziska.

* * *

Edgeworth carried Franziska into the horse carriage that waited them. He placed her in the carriage, and the healers went frantically to work, removing the katana stuck in her shoulder. Phoenix glanced at Edgeworth.

"I know it wasn't a Samurai who attacked her, Wright. The sword may be a katana, but the way it was lodged in her shoulder is similar to how the knights swing. It's not the same, but it's similar. I've seen something like this before, but I can't remember. If I had some way to jog my memory, then I should be able to tell you," said Edgeworth. He then went on to describe his indecisive action as Phoenix sat, listening as a friend would to another. It was normal. One friend venting to another.

"Anyways, since Franziska isn't going on the mission, then who is?" questioned Phoenix. Edgeworth crossed his arms.

"Wright, I feel as though the mission must be delayed until further notice."

"What!" cried Phoenix.

"These missions aren't permitted without a prosecutorial knight. You should know that very well," said Edgeworth. Phoenix stumbled back several steps, placing his hand on one of the horse stable's fences to...well, stable himself. His eyes were welling with tears.

"B-b-b-but!"

"Wright? What's wrong?" Edgeworth looked at his friend with concern. He wiped away the tears and walked towards the maroon-clad knight.

"E-Edgeworth. P-Please. Get me a prosecutorial knight," Phoenix begged. Edgeworth crossed his arms.

"W-Wright. I understand. I shall be going with you on your mission as a prosecutorial knight." Phoenix beamed, before Edgeworth continued speaking. "But my condition is that I need you to take this journey to truly think of what it means to be an Attornial knight." Edgeworth finished.

"Thank you, Edgeworth. But, why do you believe I need to rethink my ways? I believe you're the one who needs to change." Edgeworth turned away.

"I see you're staunch in your belief that your ideals are perfect and mine are, but I'll have you know that perfection is an impossibility. I believe I have come to a new set of beliefs. That's why I left. By the end of this mission, you'll see why I left two years ago."

"Whatever you say, Edgeworth," said Phoenix. The doors to the building opened as Matt Engarde stepped in.

"Hey Sir Knight. I heard what happened. Oh well. _You_ can't win em' all," said Engarde. He turned to walk out.

"Hold It! Sir Engarde, I have found another knight to go on the mission. We'll depart tonight," said Phoenix with determination. Edgeworth shook his head.

"Sir Engarde, I shall stand as the prosecutorial knight for this journey. Do not mistake my intentions, it is not honor of being in the presence of a well-known man. Nor is it my of a stage show which clearly has ripped of-, no... ummm, derives from another stage show. No, it is a favor that I owe to Sir Wright," said Edgeworth, turning to face the young knight.

"Whatever, Sir Pink Knight Dude," said Matt.

"Ahem. It's maroon," Edgeworth promptly corrected. The famous actor shrugged, causing the knight to facepalm.

Phoenix turned to face Pearl who had remained silent. She stared at the scene unfolding in front of her. She turned to face the young knight. Phoenix quickly noticed that her eyes were bloodshot. _She must be really tired... or worried._

"Pearls... Don't worry. We've overcome the most difficult part of the mission. Leaving on the same day as the request. We shouldn't have any troubles from here..."

"Hold It..."

* * *

 **A/N: Well, this chapter was ok. I spent a lot more time on the editing process then usual, and I hope you've enjoyed it.**

 **I will take this time time to apologize for the slow updates. I've been juggling a lot of work recently, and I haven't had too much time to write. I hope you've been enjoying the chapters I've been getting out. Cheers, everyone!**


	18. Chapter 17: Despair

**A/N: And we're back! Welcome to Chapter Seventeen of the Kingdom of Japanifornia. I hope you all enjoy. Cheers!**

* * *

"Hold It, pal!" shouted the voice of Inspector Dick Gumshoe. Everyone turned to face the scruffy inspector.

"G-Gumshoe?" Edgeworth glared at his former subordinate with contempt ",What is the meaning of this?" The detective paused for a moment.

"S-Sir Edgeworth! I heard you returned!" Edgeworth glared at him.

"Gumshoe, an Inspector isn't allowed into the knight's stable without authorization from a knight, save for exceptional circumstances."

"I-I," Gumshoe stuttered.

"Hmph. I think these are exceptional circumstances, Sir Edgeworth," said a deep, imposing voice. Edgeworth turned to face the highest ranked Inspector.

"I-I-Inspector Badd?"

"Hello, Sir Edgeworth. We have been permitted to enter," said Badd. Edgeworth facepalmed.

"B-B-Badd, why have you been authorized?"

"Did you forget? A prosecutorial knight was brutally attacked in here. We have the jurisdiction of this room. So, any and all missions for tonight _have been cancelled_." Phoenix reeled back, fear on his face. Engarde crossed his arms.

"Wh-what!" cried Edgeworth.

"Under who's authority!?" cried Phoenix, trying his best to remain calm. Pearl whimpered, trying to remain collected as well.

"Under the authority of the _king_ ," said Badd. Phoenix felt as though he was slapped across the face.

"P-please. I-I'm begging you," said Phoenix. His calm composure went to hell and he leaned over. Several tears began to form in his eyes, but he brushed them away.

"Wright! Drop it!" said Edgeworth ",Disobeying the king is treason!" Phoenix turned to face his longtime friend. Edgeworth crossed his arms. "Why are you in such a hurry anyways?" Phoenix closed his eyes, before jumping forward.

"D-dammit! You wouldn't understand, Edgeworth!" shouted Phoenix. Badd pulled the lollipop out of his mouth. Phoenix gave him a pleading look.

"Look, I don't mean to get on your..." Edgeworth sighed. ",Bad side, but can you make an exception?"

"Sorry, Sir Edgeworth," said Badd ",Believe me, I see nothing wrong with it, I just am following orders directly from the top." Phoenix huffed in sadness. Edgeworth put a hand on his shoulder.

"Wright... I don't know what's going on with you, but go rest. I'll make sure that we can depart first thing in the morning." Phoenix walked away, Pearl in tow. They made the walk back to Phoenix's room without speaking a word. Pearl sobbed quietly, yet contained her wailing. They walked in sadness. It was all they could do.

* * *

Phoenix tossed and turned. Cold sweat trickled down his brow, drenching his pillow. His hair was messy and his eyes were shut tight. His eyes flew open and he sat up. He took several deep breaths before looking at the door. Phoenix picked up on several taps on the floor. _Are those... footsteps?_

Phoenix walked out of his bedroom and stepped into his apartment's living room. He walked out and saw a woman sitting on the couch, sipping from a bowl of noodles. He recognized the facial features immediately. The cogs turned in his head. She let out a chuckle at seeing his expression.

"M-Mia?" She set the bowl of noodles down. She stood up so she was at eye level with the young knight.

"It's good to see you again, Phoenix," said Mia.

"H-how is?"

"Pearl is giving me control of her body. A while back, you saw me boost Maya's power. The Fey family magic has another aspect. They can use their body as a vessel to allow a spirit to return. The risk in this is that they lose control of their body."

"Huh. I didn't know."

"Anyways, Pearl didn't say much in the note. Only that you need help," said Mia. Phoenix swallowed the lump in his through. He leaned his head over and looked at the ground.

"M-M-Mia. It's M-Maya. Sh-she's b-b-b-been..." Mia immediately looked concern.

"She's been what?" said Mia. Phoenix shivered.

"She's been kidnapped. And, I think she's passed," said Phoenix. Mia took a few steps back before stabling herself on the table. Her years of experience took over and she composed herself.

"What happened?" asked Mia.

"We were at a ceremony. The uh... Hero of Heroes Ceremony where the winner of the Japanifornian Contest was announced, and it was the Nickel Samurai, and Maya was excited and won a bet so she went and-."

"Phoenix! Calm down. I need you to calm down and tell me exactly what happened. Everything important," said Mia. Phoenix stared up at her, tears glistening in his eyes.

"B-But Chief. I-I failed. I failed you. I messed u-," said Phoenix.

"No. Phoenix, Maya isn't dead yet. I would've felt her die." Phoenix's eyes widened.

"If she had passed, I would've seen her cross the river myself. No, she's alive," said Mia ",But enough about that. Continue."

"When she was away getting chocolate, I-I assume sh-she was k-kidnapped, but I can't guarantee," said Phoenix ",Then the man used this thing to contact me. He said he'd spare her under the stipulation I help Sir Engarde on his mission and I leave that night. I couldn't do that."

"Well, doesn't Sir Engarde seem suspicious? I mean, did he want you to partake in the mission?"

"He can't be guilty. He's a famous star and he was still on the stage after I received the message from the man," said Phoenix ",Anyways, Edgeworth is the knight for the mission and we're going to leave first thing tomorrow." Mia placed her finger on her chin, pondering the situation.

"Well, one thing is for certain. We need to find Maya. Say Phoenix, how long have you been asleep?"

"I'd say about 6 hours," said Phoenix.

"Well then Phoenix, how about we do a little investigating before we depart tomorrow. One last question though, does anyone else know of this?" Phoenix shook his head.

"Nope. Only you, the kidnapper, Pearls, and myself," said Phoenix. At that moment, a knock was heard at the door. Phoenix jumped in shock. He looked at Mia for guidance. She nodded. Phoenix walked to the door and opened it, to be met with Miles Edgeworth's concerning gaze.

"May I?" asked Edgeworth, formally. Phoenix nodded, signaling him to enter and place himself down on couch.

"Sir Edgeworth." Edgeworth faced the former veteran knight.

"Madame Fey. I heard your conversation about Maya from outside. M-my condolences to both of you," said Edgeworth, calmly.

"Is that all you have to say, Edgeworth?!" said Phoenix.

"Wright, I know your emotions are overwhelming, but if you have failed completely, the kidnapper would have destroyed the communication device." Phoenix lifted his head to face him.

"Wh-what are you suggesting?" asked Phoenix.

"My plan is to tel-," said Edgeworth. The small item on Phoenix's holster let out a shriek. Phoenix jumped.

"Hello? Sir Knight?" Phoenix let out a low growl. "Excellent! I'm so glad to have your attention. Would you like to say any last words to the young Madame Fey?"

"P-P-PLEASE, H-HOLD IT!" cried Phoenix ",We'll leave first thing tomorrow! Just please, don't do it." Phoenix could almost hear the man pondering.

"Very well. You leaving tonight was of the utmost importance, for... multiple reasons, however it won't break our mission entirely," said the man. Phoenix let out a sigh of relief. Another piercing shriek was emitted from the device and it went silent. Edgeworth crossed his arms.

"Well, Sir Edgeworth. I believe you were in the middle of explaining a plan of action," said Mia.

"Sir Engarde is seeming more and more suspicious. Nonetheless, we must have a plan of action." Phoenix appeared puzzled for a moment, before his eyes widened and he caught on.

"The Edgeworth Family Magic!" He nodded, closing his eyes, and visualizing the scenario on a figurative chessboard. _Tracking. We need to find the kidnapper to prevent the extortion. If the kidnapper was able to take down Madame Fey, he must be a magically powerful person. He's communicating through magic. That's it!_

"Wright. Madame Fey. We need to use that communication object as a specimen for a tracking spell," said Edgeworth ",I'll have Gumshoe and a pair of trackers on it immediately. They'll capture a specimen of the magic and follow it to the kidnapper."

"Thanks, Edgeworth."

"Sir Edgeworth, you'll come with us to retrieve this relic," said Mia ",I can create a medium in which to communicate between us and the trackers. All you have to do is mutter a keyword and it will open a communication. This way, we can converse with Sir Gumshoe when we need to."

"It is of the utmost importance that we bring the one responsible for Madame Fey's kidnapping to justice. I will assist you!"

"In that case, we depart in the morning. Sir Edgeworth will get the trackers ready. Until then, I will create the communication with Sir Gumshoe, and Phoenix... you'll investigate Sir Engarde," ordered Mia, as if she was still alive and head of the Attornial Knights. Edgeworth and Phoenix both nodded.

"Th-thanks, Chief!" Phoenix saluted her. Edgeworth smirked and shook his head. He walked off. Phoenix turned to leave too, before Mia grabbed his arm.

"Phoenix. I have something very important I need to tell you," said Mia. Phoenix's eyes widened. "My sister is in grave danger. She's been kidnapped. Whatever we've gotten ourselves stuck in, I'll tell you it's deep and dark. We may be plunging down an inescapable hole." Phoenix gulped. "Just please, promise you'll do your best to take care of Maya." Mia lowered her head, much to the shock of the young knight.

"Ch-chief... I will make sure that Maya is safe! I have to!" Mia smiled at him.

"Thank you, Phoenix." The young knight turned and walked away from his abode.

* * *

"Now you understand... Franziska." He gave her a questioning look. She began to try and sit up before falling back down.

"Miles Edgeworth... I-I," she grimaced in pain. Edgeworth leaned over and helped her lay back down on the soft pillow.

"Franziska, you need to take it easy. You won't be able to move without immense pain until tomorrow."

"M-m-miles E-e-Edgeworth. I-I won't accept this!" Franziska shivered. The cold air creeped up her exposed shoulder and back, of which the blade punctured. Visible on the shoulder was a permanent scar. A scar in the shape of a seashell. Edgeworth stood up.

"You have to, Franziska. You need to rest. I'm going to go on the mission tomorrow. You have to stay here, even after you're able to move." Franziska gritted her teeth, but conceded. Edgeworth walked away from the bed.

* * *

Phoenix Wright walked down to the inspector's office to be greeted by Gumshoe. His hand was up against his head. Phoenix then saw Edgeworth walk out of the office. _It looks like Edgeworth beat me. Makes sense. I did take a short walk to think about what chief said._

"Sir Gumshoe?" Gumshoe lifted his head to look at the young knight.

"Hey pal... are you ok?" asked Gumshoe. "I... I know what happened." Phoenix turned his head to the side.

"It's fine. I wanted to know a little bit more about Sir Engarde, if you know anything about him," asked Phoenix. Gumshoe turned his head to the side.

"Ok. I'll help you out! I owe you a few favors, after all!" said Gumshoe, smirking at the young knight. Phoenix visible tension relaxed.

"Thank you, Sir Gumshoe. Do you know anything about Sir Engarde?"

"Matt Engarde is a famous actor. He's the main character of 'The Nickel Samurai!'" Gumshoe let out a chuckle. He trailed off at Phoenix's dead serious expression.

"S-sorry pal, like I was saying, his rival is Juan Corrida, the actor of the Nickel Samurai."

"Can I speak with him!" shouted Phoenix, eager to investigate his lead. Gumshoe shook his head.

"Sir Juan Corrida went missing sometime tonight. A diehard fangirl saw him ride away on a horse holding a sword in his hand. On a neighboring horse, a woman rode out with him, but the only thing they could identify was her blonde hair," said Gumshoe.

"Damn it!" said Phoenix. "Wait... why did Sir Corrida leave anyways?"

"We don't know. Most people don't even care, because Madame von Karma was severely injured and... hold on a second, pal!"

"You don't think Madame von Karma's assailant was Juan Corrida!" cried Phoenix.

"It's too much of a coincidence. Do you think it's him, or his blonde haired accomplice?"

"Well, we don't have anything to prove it, but if the inspector's office can find any kind of definitive proof, we will be able to chase them."

"Inspector Gumshoe, how are the trackers doing?" asked Phoenix.

"The trackers have identified a magical signature. We've found that the object has a very powerful runic root, but it will take more than just today to discover who's signature it is," said Gumshoe. Phoenix grimaced.

"How's Madame von Karma?" asked Phoenix. Gumshoe turned away.

"You'll have to ask Sir Edgeworth about that. He's made sure the only ones allowed anywhere near her are himself and the healers," said Gumshoe. Phoenix nodded.

"Thank you so much, Gumshoe!" said Phoenix. Gumshoe nodded.

"Good luck, pal."

* * *

Phoenix and Mia arrived at the horse stables early in the morning. Once he arrived, he found Sir Engarde waiting with Edgeworth.

"Man, I'm so glad you guys care so much about my mission! I'll definitely tell everyone about how great the knights are! You guys will get so much more love and business. You'll be rich!" Phoenix shook his head.

"Sir Engarde, there is a different reason as to why I'm doing this," said Phoenix. Edgeworth interjected.

"And we have plenty of time for you to truly think of why you're doing this," said Edgeworth, smirking. "Lest we have you twiddling your thumbs atop your ebony companion." Phoenix seethed, but refrained from saying anything. Mia walked over and pat Charlie on the head. She smiled. The horse grew near silent to her touch. Phoenix hoisted himself onto the horse. Mia followed suite.

After all of them were on their horses, they set out. The trot of the horses was the only sound heard on that misty dawn. They rode away from the kingdom's capitol city on a journey into the darkness. A darkness that stretched beyond the literal realm.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you all so much for reading this chapter! I've picked this story back up again. I won't abandon this story, I will see it through to the end. I've just been juggling a lot of other things this month, along with a project I just became a 3D animator for, Team Turnabout! With the other story I've decided to pick up on the side as well, I've got quite a lot of work waiting for me on my desk. Not to mention everything else.**

 **Once again, I really want to thank the few people who are reading this for your patience, and for those who have left it behind, I don't fault you. On that note, I hope you have all been entertained by this chapter.**

 **Cheers,**

 **Muhammad Sban**


	19. Chapter 18: Conflict

Phoenix Wright gazed into the foggy mists. His sight lingered on the trees surrounding them. The rain poured onto the vegetation of the southern wetlands.

"Wright," said Mia. "Focus. These wetlands are incredibly dangerous to explore. Stay vigilant." As soon as she spoke, several vines wrapped around her foot. Phoenix cut the pesky plants.

"These wetlands are Japanifornia's most perilous land. Where are you guiding us?" asked Edgeworth.

"Like I said, I'm after a relic-y thing," said Engarde ",I really don't think you need to know exaaaaccttly what it is."

"Sir Engarde, we're on our way to retrieve this item for you. The purpose of the knights is to maintain order and peace in the kingdom. As such, we believe it is our firm right to know what the relic you are seeking is," said Phoenix. Engarde crossed his arms.

"It's an old item. I want to make sure it ends in the right hands. I know it has a lot of power, but I don't know much else," said Engarde. Edgeworth gave Phoenix a skeptical look.

"Very well," said Edgeworth. He steered his horse just beside Phoenix and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Wright, surely you can see how suspicious this is." Phoenix gripped his forehead with his hand.

"I know, Edgeworth," said Phoenix in a low whisper. "But you know what's at stake here, right."

"Phoenix is right, no pun intended, we're going to have to play our cards very carefully," said Mia.

"I understand that you want to keep Maya safe... but allow me to play the opposing role to keep you in check," said Edgeworth. Phoenix scrunched his face.

"Dammit Edgeworth, I don't need another enemy! I need help in finding Maya!"

"No offense Wright, but you're not in the right state of mind," said Edgeworth. "It would be best if there was someone to keep your... conduct and actions in check."

"Sir Edgeworth, can I ask why you decided to come along on this mission with someone you clearly don't show much favor to," said Mia.

"Believe me, I owe a lot to Wright," said Edgeworth. "He is an irreplaceable friend. Which is exactly why I came along. To make sure he doesn't act rash and do something he will regret, and to help him find out what happened to the younger Madame Fey."

"Irreplaceable? That's rich, coming from you, Edgeworth," said Phoenix.

"Bickering with me won't accomplish our mission. Or save Maya, for that matter," said Edgeworth. "I strongly recommend leaving all of your emotional baggage behind and focus on our quest."

Her face tightened. "Wright, I don't particularly trust him for... past reasons..." Edgeworth gripped his arm. "...But I think he may be our only hope here." His eyes widened. He wasted no time in formulating a response.

"I understand why you may not want to trust me, and there is much behind me that I certainly do regret, but we can deal with all of that after this nightmare of a mission is over."

Her face softened.

"I'm fine with that. So long as we can return Maya to safety." Edgeworth let out a sigh of relief.

A shriek flared from Phoenix's belt. All eyes fell on him.

He lifted the cuboid object.

"Ah, Sir Wright! A pleasure, as usual. I would like to... remind you about our agreement. Remember what I told you to do. Remember to never spare your enemies."

"Who is this!" Edgeworth demanded. The man sighed.

"Sir Wright, who have you given this radio to? I hope you haven't publicized our... ordeal. I would be forced to break our little contract." Phoenix shivered.

"N-no! I-I didn't te-."

"Sir Wright. Don't forget your end of the deal. If you do... I will be forced to forget mine!"

"No!" cried Phoenix. The radio emitted a loud shriek. Edgeworth crossed his arms.

"What a despicable human being, extorting a knight of Japanifornia by kidnapping a young woman," said Edgeworth, tapping his finger. Phoenix looked at the ground, downcast. His eyes were devoid of hope. "What was it he said about sparing your enemies?"

"Edgeworth, I don't know, I don't give a damn! You know why we're here and we're starting to push him! If that man finds out that there are inspectors chasing him, he'll kill Maya!" Phoenix gave him a deathly glare.

Edgeworth didn't flinch.

"Wright, you need to think about this logically-."

"To hell with logic! You hear what he said. We have to call off Gumshoe and-."

"Wright!" Phoenix looked taken aback. "Gumshoe and his team are operating in absolute secrecy. Besides, even if you make a few 'misdemeanors', he won't kill his only leverage for this mission. We do not know about Sir Engarde's motives and if he's guilty, but we must press on."

"So you're saying that he won't kill Maya unless we fail," said Phoenix, contemplating Edgeworth's words. Edgeworth nodded. "Mia, what do you think?... Mia?" Phoenix turned to be greeted, not by Mia, but by Pearl Fey. His eyes widened.

"P-Pearls!" yelled Phoenix. Pearl blinked twice before falling back. Phoenix caught her before she could fall off of the horse. Edgeworth crossed his arms.

"Looks like Madame Fey decided to return to the realm of the spirits," said Edgeworth. "Or Pearls ran out of energy."

"We should let her rest. If we encounter any trials, it seems as though we're going to have to face them on our own," said Phoenix. Edgeworth glanced around before his mind went into a frantic state. His face contorted into one of anger.

"Wh-Where is Sir Engarde?!" They glanced around frantically before hearing a metallic clamor.

"S-swords!" he shouted. "Edgeworth! This way!"

Their horses' slow trot sped to a full speed chase. Soon enough, they had walked out of the vegetation of the Southern wetlands into the arid atmosphere of the desert. The sudden change in biome was the most abrupt in the entire Kingdom of Japanifornia. Most chalk it up to the terrible tragedy that occurred in what was to become the desert, but that is a story for another day.

The young knights saw two figures exchanging blows. Phoenix narrowed his eyes. Edgeworth's brow furrowed.

It was Matt Engarde. He was swinging his sword at the other man at incredible speeds. Edgeworth recognized the other man immediately. Juan Corrida was wearing a suit of armor with the crest of a seashell on the chest plate.

"Is that... Juan Corrida?" He turned to face Phoenix, but found that the young knight had already commanded his horse to run. When Phoenix neared the pair of stars, he noticed Juan Corrida's weapon of choice, an axe, gold running along the hilt with a pristine metal that glinted in the sunlight.

Juan Corrida lifted the axe and swung it down virulently. Engarde jumped back as the axe barely missed his right eyelid. He fell to the ground as his hair drifted down to cover the small cut. Juan lifted his axe to deliver a fatal strike. He swung.

Phoenix ran forward and parried the fatal blow that Juan Corrida was about to deliver.

"Sir Corrida! What are you doing?" asked Phoenix. At the sight of the young knight, Juan Corrida jumped away and lowered his axe.

"L-listen, Sir Blue Knight! I know how this looks, but I'm just trying to protect myself!"

"Sh-Shut up! Sir Wright, think! He's trying to attack me. He should die. He cut a wound above my eye!" shouted Engarde. Juan Corrida seethed, but remained silent.

"Sir Corrida, the best thing for you to do is to remove yourself from the premises and return to the capitol city," said Edgeworth. "The king is not pleased. Your sudden disappearance lines up with the attack on a prosecutorial knight."

"What? I'm being... suspected?" asked Corrida. His axe tumbled to the ground, stirring up a small dust cloud. He lifted his hands and took a few steps back.

"Sir Corrida, we are not here to detain you, however, it would be in your best interest to go back to the Capitol," said Phoenix.

"Sir Wright, I can't go yet. I have to go and finish my job out here first!" He leaned down to pick up his axe. Engarde quickly lunged at Juan. Reflexively, he blocked the strong blow just in time. Engarde swung his foot around and struck Juan.

Phoenix and Edgeworth sprinted forward. As Juan was falling, Engarde delivered another strong kick to his chest, finally winding him. Engarde lifted the blade up for the final strike, but hesitated. Engarde relaxed, lowering his blade. Phoenix and Edgeworth stopped running. An arrow pierced Juan Corrida's chest.

Juan couldn't breath. He couldn't move. He turned his head down at the small wound on his chest. It hurt. It hurt to breath, to move. A red stain began to from around the arrow's wound. He began to feel himself fading. He lifted his hand up to the wound. He let out a final cry and his body grew limp.

Edgeworth gripped his arm and turned away. Phoenix shut his eyes tight.

"What... happened?" asked Engarde.

"Y-You saw what happened, Sir Engarde. An arrow pierced his heart! Someone must've been following us!" yelled Edgeworth.

Phoenix walked around, looking at the ground. After finding a small depression in the sand, he carried Juan's corpse and set it down. He covered it with sand. Edgeworth lifted his fist to his chest and took a single bow. Phoenix followed suite. They both walked away from the grave.

Edgeworth turned to face Phoenix.

"It's not a true funeral, and he, at least, deserves a greater testament to his life, but it was what we could do." Phoenix nodded.

"Sir Engarde, we're going to make camp here for the night. Can you go gather some kindling?" asked Phoenix.

"Sure, Sir Knight-Dude!" Engarde sprinted away into the forest. Edgeworth turned to Phoenix.

"You appear to be itching to tell me something," said Edgeworth. "Juan Corrida is dead."

"That doesn't make any sense," said Phoenix. "Sir Corrida had armor on him. How did an arrow pierce it? As far as I know, there aren't any enchantments that allow arrows to pierce armor."

"Did you say pierce a suit of armor?" asked Edgeworth. He crossed his arms, before leaning over in shock. "Th-th-this can't be!"

"What is it, Edgeworth?" yelled Phoenix. Edgeworth lifted himself up, and as his bangs fell away, Phoenix saw the look of pure rage on his face. "Edgeworth?"

"Wr-Wright, we've been played for fools this whole time," said Edgeworth. "This man who kidnapped Maya Fey... He's not only one of the most skilled assassins in Japanifornia, but he's the best kept secret between the Prosecutorial Knights and the Inspectors of Japanifornia."

"Wh-who are you talking about?"

"His name... is Shelly de Killer," said Edgeworth. He began to walk over to his horse. "He is... a ruthless assassin. His skills with the sword are superb, and his marksmanship is unmatched."

"D-de Killer?" asked Phoenix. "That's his name! That's what he said when he first contacted us. He said his name is de Killer!" Edgeworth nodded.

"Precisely. The de Killers are a long line of assassins that can be traced to before the Japs and the Fornians united to destroy the other clans of the time," said Edgeworth. "As you should know-."

"Umm... about that, my memory is kind of...faded," said Phoenix.

"Wright... Very well, I will give you a short refresher. Before The Kingdom of Japanifornia was established, the land had several different tribes and cultures, all different. It was a tribal system, where each tribe had it's own rules, laws, and regulations."

"Every citizen knows that part of the story. Can you please get to the point?" asked Phoenix. Edgeworth shook his head, sighing.

"Fine then. When the Japs and the Fornians united to destroy the other tribes, they conquered and conquered, and they kept growing. Several of these clans continued to fight. It wasn't through swords, they fought in secret. One of these was the clan of Mawwit, the murder clan, as it were."

"That part was never in our history lessons, I'm certain of it," said Phoenix. Edgeworth scoffed.

"Of course it wasn't. The first kings confiscated everything to do with it and hid it in their chambers. The Prosecutorial Knights are the only ones allowed to read those documents. I believe that the information in those texts should be public knowledge."

"That's... awful. I always thought the Japs and the Fornians were heroes. Wh-why should the people be kept in the dark about this?"

"You didn't even know about it, Wright. We do not write the law, we merely enforce it. That... is our role. We are the sword of the law."

"I just... feel like it is wrong. We're knights. We're being used by a ruthless assassin, as a tool to accomplish a quest," said Phoenix. "And it's all against our code."

"Hey knight-dudes? I'm back!" Phoenix turned to see the young star holding a tall pile of kindling.

"Yes, Sir Engarde, can you get a fire started over there?" asked Phoenix.

Edgeworth turned to face Phoenix. "What you just said is exactly correct. Now, it is up to you to decide if you want to follow the code of Japanifornia and lose the life of a dear friend... or to disobey your orders, be the tool of a ruthless assassin, and save Maya from crossing the river Styx." Phoenix tensed up.

"E-Edgeworth. You know I have to protect her."

"Wright. There's something you need to understand. We are not superhuman. Our job isn't to protect people or to save anyone. We are responsible for our actions as knights of Japanifornia." Phoenix opened his mouth to speak, but stopped upon realizing he had no words. He remained silent and began to set up the camp. Edgeworth smirked. "I'll give you some time to think this over, Wright."

* * *

Matt Engarde sat down in front of Phoenix.

"Sir Wright? You wanted to speak to me, right?" Phoenix nodded.

"Sir Engarde, why were you attacking Sir Juan Corrida?" Engarde crossed his arms.

"You and Sir Edgeworth seemed to be deep in conversation, so I left to scout when he suddenly attacked me," said Engarde. "I tried to fight him off, when he was suddenly shot."

"You know something more, don't you, Sir Engarde? You know _exactly_ who shot Sir Corrida." Engarde didn't speak. "That's why you lowered your blade when you had a perfect chance to kill him!"

"Sir Wright, just because he was my rival, doesn't mean that I would kill him!" yelled Engarde. "I lowered my weapon because I wasn't going to kill him!" Phoenix shook his head.

"You're right. You wouldn't have killed him. It was an assassin. You contracted him, didn't you. As your backup. I don't know everything that is going on here, but I can say that you are the one who hired Shelly de Killer to extort me and to assassinate Juan Corrida!"

Engarde didn't say anything. He remained silent. Phoenix leaned forward. His face bent.

"Please Sir Engarde! Tell me I'm wrong! Please!" He remained silent.

Engarde placed his hand on his cuff. He glanced at it for a few seconds.

"Fine then, Sir Knight. I guess... it's time for you to meet him now," said Engarde. His expression morphed with a vicious smirk climbing onto his face. He lifted the lock of hair covering his eye to reveal two identical cuts across his eyelid. "How do you do, Sir Knight? I am... Matt Engarde! Hahahahaha!"

"N-no."

"You can't prove that I hired that assassin to kidnap your little friend, so I guess you've got nothing there. Even if you had the proof, I'm afraid that you wouldn't be able to because of that little knife at your friends throat... heheheheHEHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!" His laugh was loud and maniacal...

And Phoenix was chilled to his core.

"S-so it's true. Y-y-you really-."

"Yes. And now, you're going to have to follow through with your mission. I didn't want this to happen you know, I just wanted you to follow along with the mission as normal. Too bad," said Engarde. Phoenix tightened his fists.

"Y-you... you scoundrel!" shouted Phoenix. Engarde laughed.

"Unfortunately. Now then, if you don't mind, I'm going to take a walk. You don't object, do you?" said Engarde. He put his finger on his chin as though he was pondering something. "Oh wait. You can't." Engarde walked away into the darkness of the nearby vegetation. Phoenix stood up and began to frantically pace.

"Sir Nick?"

Phoenix's eyes widened.

"Pearls?" asked Phoenix. He turned and was, surely enough, greeted by Pearl. He kneeled and put on his sincere smile.

"How are you doing, Pearls? Are you feeling any better?" Pearl nodded.

"Yes, Sir Nick. I'm feeling a lot better. I could probably channel Mystic Mia, if you'd like..." Phoenix shook his head.

"We should probably wait until the morning, still need some rest, and we're going to need all of our strength." Pearls placed her finger on he soft chin.

"One more question. What is a... scow-nedrel?"

"A scoundrel? Y-y-you were awake for that?" asked Phoenix.

"I woke up when you said that word, and I was just wondering what it means," explained Pearls.

"I-it's nothing important, Pearls. Don't worry about it," said Phoenix. "You spent more than a day channeling Mia. You're probably tired, still. Get some rest."

Pearls nodded, before bowing respectfully. "How is Mystic Maya?" Phoenix hesitated.

"Sh-she'll be fine, Pearls." Pearl wasn't convinced. She lowered her head and tried to sleep on her small cushion. He walked away towards the forest. He was greeted by Edgeworth.

"Now you know about Sir Engarde. You now know the truth. So, what will you do?" Phoenix tightened his fist.

"If I don't do something, you're just going to restrain him yourself, aren't you?" asked Phoenix. Edgeworth smiled.

"That's for you to decide. If you don't, no one besides Sir Engarde, myself, and you will know. Your mentor wouldn't even be sure. So, will you save Maya Fey, or will you follow your creed?" Phoenix fell to the ground.

"I-I... I-I can't m-make that decision!" cried Phoenix. Edgeworth shook his head.

"You don't want to make the decision, but you must. Wright, I implore you to get some rest and think about it," said Edgeworth. "I too had to make the choice between my creed and my emotions. Sleep on it. Goodnight, Wright."

"Good night, Edgeworth." Phoenix's voice was filled with apprehension.

"Think, Wright. Make the correct decision," said Edgeworth. He crossed his arms.

" _Your friend or your creed."_

* * *

 **A/N: That was a tough one to write. I've been going through some (Trials and) tribulations, so I've been unable to write as frequently as I'd like, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Cheers!**


	20. Chapter 19: Confrontation

"Huff* huff* Aaagh! How did I get into this mess?" Phoenix stood, suited in only his bare attire, over a ledge. Beneath the ledge, a void, seemingly of infinite darkness awaited him. He could almost feel it calling to him.

"That's far enough!" yelled the bearded one. He lifted up his sword. "You can't run forever, Sir Wright!" Phoenix paused.

"F-from what? I've always fought for the safety and security of our Kingdom!" yelled Phoenix. A bead of sweat dripped from his temple onto his suit of armor.

"You have failed to uphold your duty," said the bearded one. He slammed his sword onto the ledge. The rock launched around him as he fell down into the void. He looked around him, and saw many dear memories. At the end, there was a plain grey floor.

He struggled. He couldn't do anything. Before he could smash into the rock bottom floor, he awoke from his nightmare. His sweat drenched the pillow. He glanced around and saw Pearl squirming around, her feature contorted into distress. Looks like she isn't sleeping any better.

I feel as though I've had this same dream, no, this same vision before. I experienced it somewhere else before, as if this was already carved into the annals of history. Tomorrow... I stand as a knight... not as the shield of the kingdom, but instead as the tool of a scoundrel.

* * *

Phoenix Wright's eyes flung open. He sat up, drenched in a cold sweat. He glanced to his left and saw Pearl, tending to a small flame. A pot of boiling water sat over it, suspended in midair. A faint purple glow held it in place. He turned to his right and saw Edgeworth and Engarde fast asleep. Engarde still wore a horrific grin on his face.

"Oh, Sir Nick!" yelled Pearl. She turned to face him. Phoenix's features softened.

"Morning, Pearls," said Phoenix. "Wh-what are you doing?" Pearl leaned over, disheartened. Phoenix pulled the blanket off of his body. Tears began to form in her eyes. She tried to turn away. "What's wrong, Pearls?"

"S-Sir Nick... I, I could barely sleep last night. I-I kept having n-nightmares," said Pearl. "I kept seeing Mystic Maya... and she was..." She began to cry openly. She ran into Phoenix and gave him a hug. Phoenix pat her on the head.

"Sh-she'll be fine," said Phoenix. Pearl withdrew.

"I woke up really early so I decided to cook for all of you... I hope you like it," she tilted the pot to reveal a vegetable stew. Phoenix smiled gently. Pearl poured the liquid into a small bowl. Phoenix sipped from the stew. A grin spread across his face.

* * *

Their group had left the camp in a hurry. That day was supposed to be the final day. They were supposed to find Engarde's relic and return to the capital city.

There was something so off-putting about the desert. It drove Phoenix insane. He was trying to wrap his head around it, but he couldn't figure it out.

He felt shivering in his pocket. He held the Magatama in his hand, to see it convulsing rapidly. It was shaking and vibrating. Its glow was consistently fading and returning. His face curled into a fearful one. Pearl stared intensely at the jewel.

"Oh! Sir Nick! I forgot to tell you about the Magatama's last ability! It can summon a-."

"That'll have to wait, little girl," said Engarde, sneering. "See that over there? That's what we're after."

A small altar stood in stark contrast to the rest of the desert. It was made of rare marble. Pillars curved into an arch at the top and in the middle, three pillars held the rest of the altar up. A small pedestal sat in the middle, but the object on the pillar was blocked from view by a slender woman with blonde hair.

She was wearing a blue tank top. No armor. The only visible weapon was a worn dagger with a dull edge. A hungry smirk found it's way onto Engarde's face. He lunged at the woman and swung his heavy blade, immediately disarming her. She fell to the ground. He aligned his blade with her throat.

Phoenix and Edgeworth sprinted forward. They glared at the woman with mistrust, yet they were only met with eyes filled with terror. Phoenix paused.

"Wh-who are you?" asked Phoenix.

"I-I-I am Adrian Andrews."

"She's the one who could've attacked Madame von Karma. Now, Sir Wright do your duties as a knight and finish her so we can get this mission over with," said Engarde. His smirk curved into a wolfish grin. "Or... Madame Fey... can meet her end." He laughed maniacally. Phoenix clenched his face, glaring daggers into the action star. Engarde merely licked his lips.

"P-please. I'm begging you Sir Wright. I didn't attack Madame von Karma." Phoenix felt as if he was being torn from the inside. D-damn it! If I do what that scoundrel wants, sh-she'll die. B-but if I don't do what he says, Maya will-.

"She would be punished if she was the one who attacked Madame von Karma, but Sir Corrida may have been the one to attack her," said Edgeworth. He remained composed.

"Sir Edgeworth, you know that the laws of Japanifornia don't apply here, don't you? She's the only living suspect! Her crimes should be punished by death. Then we can get this mission over with."

"Ngghhhooooooohhhh!"

Edgeworth glared with venom at the manipulative man.

"Why don't you tell me, Sir Edgeworth? Tell me what a knight does in the situation of being faced with the only living suspect of an incident?" Phoenix broke out into a sweat. He knew the code. H-he was prepared for all of this.

"I-in the situation that a knight finds a suspected criminal on a mission..." Edgeworth grimaced. "Th-the attornial knight will decide how to punish the criminal." Phoenix froze.

"No time to think, Sir Wright! Kill her! Quickly! Then we can retrieve the bear"

"No! Sir Wright, I swear I didn't attack anyone! It's just that man... he brought that woman to ruin!"

"Finish her quickly Sir Wright!"

"I-I... I! I can't." Phoenix lowered his sword. Phoenix took several steps back and drove his sword into the ground. "I can't kill her." Engarde's smirk fell.

"Well, Sir Wright. You've made your decision. And you will die for it!"

Engarde lunged at the unsuspecting knight, aiming directly for a gap in his armor. Before Phoenix could even react, the blow was parried. Th-this sword!

It was Mia Fey.

Adrian Andrews fled to the altar, hiding behind it. Edgeworth jumped in, attempting to swing at Engarde. However, before he could even near him, he felt a sharp kick to his chest, knocking him down.

"It seems as though the game is over." The mysterious man glared at the blue knight.

"Hah! You were right, Sir Wright. De Killer has been following us this entire time," said Engarde.

"And here he is!" Edgeworth and Mia lifted themselves up, facing the notorious assassin.

"Sir Wright. I'm afraid you've broken the bond of trust I had with you..." Phoenix glared at him.

"What are you talking about?" asked Phoenix. "I never trusted you!" de Killer sighed.

"That is a shame. Unfortunately, I must fulfill my end of the bargain," said de Killer. Phoenix's eyes widened.

"N-no, Wait!" Phoenix looked at the contracted killer. The trained assassin stood there with a stoic expression. Phoenix fell to his knees, defeated. He failed.

...

*CRACK*

Phoenix looked up. de Killer stumbled several steps back. He watched as a whip was retracted. He looked at the figure of Franziska von Karma. She wasted no time delivering three more strikes to the assassin.

"Don't just lie there shocked, Phoenix Wright!" Phoenix nodded, lifting himself up. De Killer unsheathed a katana. It was dirty and rough. On the hilt, a few faint inscriptions were visible. Franziska immediately recognized it.

"Heh. So, you were the one who gave me this gift," said Franziska, gesturing to the layer of bandages covering her wound.

"Indeed. It was regrettable, what happened. However, it is was for the best." He lifted the dagger and swung at Franziska. She jumped back. Edgeworth ran forward to strike the assassin, only to be parried by Matt Engarde. Franziska was swinging her blade at Engarde in an instant. Phoenix and Mia jumped in and attacked de Killer.

They were in a frenzy. Mia and Phoenix were pushing the talented assassin. de Killer moved his limbs at breakneck speeds.

De Killer didn't slow his onslaught. He swiftly kicked at Mia, knocking her away. He attempted to plunge his katana into Phoenix's chest, only for him to swiftly knock the blade away.

De Killer jammed his elbow into Phoenix's chest and kicked him away. De Killer paused, clearly pondering something. He gazed at the two prosecutorial knights who were in the midst of a battle against Engarde. He sprinted forward.

Edgeworth and Franziska barely had a chance to react before de Killer slammed into them, knocking them both back several steps away from Engarde. Franziska hoisted her arms up, sending a quick burst of flame at the assassin. He ran forward and lifted the katana, hoping to stab her shoulder once again.

Franziska froze. Her breaths became shallow. Her pupils contracted. De Killer's knife grazed the bandage.

"Franziska!"

Edgeworth lunged forward knocking the assassin away before the blade could penetrate the wrapped injury. de Killer didn't waste any time recovering and swiftly kicking the maroon-clad knight to the ground. Engarde just stood back, laughing at the whole situation.

Phoenix and Mia weren't doing much better.

"H-he's too fast," said Mia. Phoenix stood up. "I-I don't know what we can do. It's like he has an unlimited amount of stamina and strength"

"I think I have an idea. Phoenix slipped his hand into his pocket and firmly grasped the Magatama. His sword flared into a dazzling glow. Sparks scattered around, falling among the sand.

He lunged at de Killer. Their weapons clashed.

A shimmering blast divided the two, sending them both flying. Mia's eyes widened.

"Phoenix! The Magatama has another power."

"Wh-what is it?"

"I can't tell you that… Focus on your spirit. Your inner being. What makes you, well, what makes you, you!."

"Wh-what my traits are?"

"You need to figure that out. Think about the past year. That should help you!"

Franziska began her assault by swinging her whip at the assassin. What defines me? I-I don't know. I mean, I'm a knight, but there are countless others who are far better than me.

My strengths? What do I have? I'm a knight. I've always tried to just do that.

This year, when we were saving Inspector Byrde... This is a trial by fire, and I'm failing! Maya will die if I don't do something! Aaaargghh! How did I get into this mess?

I have no idea! I've never thought of this before! I can't think straight. I don't know!

Phoenix got up. One thing that I do know is that I will do whatever I can to save Maya.

"It's no use. I can't think clearly." Phoenix drew his sword. "But, I will do what I can to save Maya!"

De Killer spun around and kicked both Edgeworth and Franziska away.

"Sir Wright! This is your last chance. If you withdraw and finish Adrian Andrews, then I will let you all live and I will even let your assistant go free. If you wish to think for a few minutes on my offer, then feel free." de Killer stepped back.

"Maya…" Phoenix clenched his fists. "I-I... G-GRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" His gripped his spiky hair and leaned over. The other three knights ran to his side.

"Phoenix. Listen to me. It can't be over yet. If we can't defeat them in battle, we have to find a way to convince de Killer not to kill Maya. We need to nullify his reason. I don't know how, but we have to figure it out."

"Miles Edgeworth! Perhaps we can utilize your ability."

"There doesn't seem to be any logical way out of the situation. For me to even use my ability, I need to have a few basic facts. I don't know what your special jewel does, but I do know that it must be important. I know his weapon must be important too! Those runes on them are clearly very important to something." Phoenix's eyes widened.

"Runes? His weapon may have been cursed."

"You may be right, Wright. You have always been very astute."

"Ok, but what do we do about it? Those are just concepts. Don't give me any more nonsense, Miles Edgeworth! We need a solid plan."

"Your actions are influenced by your abilities, and above all, by your mindset. Make sure you don't lose sight of this." Mia stood up straight, "de Killer has Maya."

"Madame Fey, if we continue attacking him aimlessly, we won't gain anything." Edgeworth slipped a helmet onto his head. "Quite the opposite, we have much to lose. I don't mean any disrespect, however, we must be realistic."

"Alright knight-dudes, your time's up. Look, I even saved you guys some work." Adrian Andrews was sprawled on the floor. Beside her, a bound up Maya lay, curled up in a ball. She was so small and weak.

"Maya…" Mia's expression was solemn. No…

A dazzling glow engulfed the large clearing, shooting Engarde and de Killer back. A large gust of wind cleared the glow and a golden Phoenix shimmered in the sunrise's light.

"Of course! A summon!" The realization struck him like lightning. "Wright! You know what you need to do."

The fantastical bird rose into the air. It flew in semi-circular motions until the majestic creature nosedived at de Killer and Engarde. It whipped it's feathered tail and knocked de Killer's knife from his grip.

Phoenix jumped and grasped the knife with his free hand. His phoenix perched on his shoulder.

"Shelly de Killer! Your knife was cursed by someone. The only one who had the opportunity to speak with you. That would, of course, be Sir Engarde."

"W-wait!" Engarde leaned back, lifting his arms in a defensive position.

"Pardon me?" De Killer narrowed his eyes. He carefully scrutinized the knife in Phoenix's hand to ascertain his assumption.

"That is irrelevant though. You are to surrender yourself to the knights of Japanifornia to await trial for all of the murders you've committed."

"Alas, it seems I've been deceived. How… unfortunate. It seems as though I may have to apologize to you, Sir Wright."

"Sweet talk won't save you! " Franziska stretched her immaterial whip.

"W-wait, you can't genuinely believe him, can you? I mean, you aren't that gullible, right?" Engarde stretched his hand out, hoping to protect himself from the assassin. De Killer paused.

"Perhaps. Those runes are runes I have seen before. They've been plastered on your cuffs." The dusk light shined directly on de Killer's monocle, masking his eye. "And in the ancient Fornian language, they translate to mean "Engarde." There can be no room for doubt. I have to thank you, Sir Wright for bringing this to my attention and allowing me to prevent this man's wishes from becoming reality. After all, he is naught but a cowardly traitor."

De Killer lunged at Engarde. His hand attached itself to his throat.

"Stop!" Edgeworth slashed at the assassin, only for him to dodge and knock his former client to the ground.

"P-lea-se… STOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPP!" He began scratching his face, which turned pale.

Franziska lashed the assassin, with her arm. He remained unfazed.

"I have a job to do. His actions have cost him his life. I don't care what he did to the blade, but not having all the information jeopardizes the mission. Please understand. I cannot allow him to go unpunished." His face began to turn purple. de Killer kept dodging their attacks and slamming him against the ground.

Phoenix's summon swooped at de Killer, but this time, he rammed Engarde's barely conscious body into the summon, sending sparks flying, not unlike a dumb kid kicking a fire.

"Did you really think that I would let this go unpunished? Well then, farewell, Sir Engarde." de Killer had vanished from sight and Engarde's lifeless shell remained.

His skin was purple. His head fell from its socket unnaturally. His face was covered in scratch marks, like a couch in a cat owner's house.

The most notable part of the corpse was, of course, the large seashell that was plastered on his chest. No matter how much they could wash the body, de Killer's mark would never fade.

"Sir Engarde attempted to deceive all of us."

"He was a scoundrel." Adrian Andrews face softened. "I have to thank you Sir Wright, for going against them, even when they had your friend bound up." Phoenix's eyes widened.

He ran back and saw Maya, still tied up. Phoenix cut the ropes and tore through the last few. He caught Maya in a tight embrace.

"N-Nick."

"I-I was so worried about you, Maya." Phoenix held her close. "But I knew you'd pull through."

Phoenix stepped back and Mia hugged her sister.

"S-Sis? Is that really you?" Maya began to tear up.

"Take care, Maya. I have to go now. I'll miss you."

"Sis." Was all she managed before her body began to morph back into Pearl's. The young witch opened her eyes.

"M-Mystic Maya!" Pearl began to wail! "M-m-mystic Maya!" She ran into her cousin and hugged her. "Pearly! I've missed you." Pearl buried her face in her shoulder.

"Heh. Things worked out in the end, didn't they, Franziska?" He turned his head but was greeted by nothing but her sword sitting on the ground. "Franziska?"

"She ran away." Adrian Andrews walked up to the prosecutorial knight. "I approached her after I heard that Engarde was going on a mission here. With knights."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. I begged her not to go along with it. I even told her what happened with Celeste. You know what happened, correct?"

"Of course."

"She told me that she'd help me, but I had to do everything she said."

"She was taking advantage of your weaknesses. How disgraceful."

"Go speak with her, Sir Edgeworth." Adrian smiled. "I'm grateful for your actions! Those three have earned a break. Go on, I'll tell them where you went."

"Before I go, I would like to ask what exactly is in the bear." Adrian held up the trinket. "Why was Sir Engarde that desperate to have it?" Adrian Andrews twisted the head off the bear, causing the rest of it to fall apart.

A neatly folded page of parchment landed on the ground.

"Th-the note." She smiled. "I-I've finally found it."

"The 'weapon' Celeste Inpax left behind. Correct?"

"I've waited for years…. Thank you, Sir Edgeworth."

"N-no need for thanks. I was merely doing my job." Edgeworth hoisted himself up onto his horse. "I need to go talk to my adoptive sister. Farewell."

* * *

Franziska von Karma was done. She rode her horse away. There isn't anything left in this foolish kingdom.

She heard the distant trot of a horse get closer. She turned and was greeted by Edgeworth.

"What do you want, Miles Edgeworth?!" Her tone was snappy.

Edgeworth was patient.

"I was told by a certain someone that you were going to manipulate them. Namely, one Adrian Andrews. So, I must ask, what were you going to do with that power?"

"Th-that's none of your concern, Miles Edgeworth!"

"I already know you're better than this, Franziska. You were planning on sending her to attack Wright, weren't you? Not to kill him, but to 'teach him a lesson'. Am I wrong?"

"Gh!" Franziska clutched her chest. "Damn you Miles Edgeworth! Always in my way!"

"Your father said the exact same thing."

"He was a weakling! I'm nothing like him! He was a strong warrior and I'm not."

"You left your sword behind. It's rather obvious what you meant by this action."

"If you've come to convince me to become a knight again, the answer is no. Fate prevented me from attacking Phoenix Wright. It's clear that I don't have what it takes. I can't be trusted with the sword. I'll become my father."

"That is where you are wrong, Franziska." She looked into his eyes. "Manfred von Karma never, not once dedicated an instant to reflecting on his conduct and actions. He never could. The fact that you're here now proves that you're not him."

"I-I." She turned away from him.

"If you want to turn away from the solemn duty of protecting the kingdom, then be my guest. But… this will be where we part." Franziska's lip quivered.

"D-dammit, Miles. I am a prosecutorial knight! I will not back down! Our sparring was not real battle, but now, our true battle begins!"

"I look forward to it." Edgeworth crossed his arms, smirking. Franziska slapped her horse, which began to sprint at full speed away from the maroon clad knight.

The sun dipped below the horizon.

* * *

Come on, Nick! You better buy me chocolate when we get back! I haven't eaten in days!"

"No way. Chocolate's too expensive. Besides the man running the stand is pretty scary."

"Come on Sir Nick!"

"I've missed having you around."

"Well then Nick, you should take better care of me!" Phoenix smiled.

"Perhaps I should..."

* * *

A/N: I feel like this story has become a mess. It's just fallen off the rails. After this chapter, there will be a long hiatus. I need to reorient myself with this story. I will appreciate your patience.

Cheers,

Muhammad Sban


End file.
